Prepaid Meter: Federal Approves N33b intervention fund for Discos

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/PHCN-NERC-Chairman-Sam-Amadi.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Prepaid Meter: FG approves N33bn intervention fund for Discos"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="PHCN NERC Chairman Sam Amadi" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/PHCN-NERC-Chairman-Sam-Amadi-702x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 0.8; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Prepaid Meter: FG approves N33bn intervention fund for Discos" width="702" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Prepaid Meter: FG approves N33bn intervention fund for Discos</span></span></h1> <a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=78038#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="fa fa-comments-o" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </span></span></a><a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?cat=5" rel="category" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="View all posts in Business"><span style="color: black;">S</span></a></header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Federal Govern­ment has approved N33 billion low in­terest intervention fund to support the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) in the country to buy meters and other electric power acces­sories.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Director General of BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, who gave the hint during a Radio Nigeria Live/Phone-in Pro­gramme—Radio Link, ex­plained that the country needs three million meters yearly.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The move according to Dikki was aimed at bridging the huge metering gap in the country. He said the country had an installed power capaci­ty of 6,000 megawatts but was generating only about 3,000 to 4,000 megawatts, noting that revenues from the 3,000 megawatts were not sufficient to support the power infra­structure, while also assuring that when power generation increases, the fixed charge will go.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dikki explained that, it is the initial sacrifice consumers had to make given the huge financial investment made by the new power investors who are yet to obtain adequate re­turns on their investments.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The BPE boss said that in line with what obtained at the initial stages of the reform in the telecoms sector when the cost of the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards and tele­phone handsets was as high as N50,000 per SIM but has now crashed to free SIMs with air time, “the electricity fixed charge will also crash”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Meanwhile the agency has said that the fixed charge currently borne by electric­ity consumers in the country would be dispensed with as soon as power generation in­creases to an economically sustainable level.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Nigeria Electric­ity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had in May, ordered Distribution Companies (Dis­cos) to suspend further collec­tion of fixed charges on un­consumed electricity if power was not supplied continuously or cumulatively for 15 days in a month.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">NERC Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, said that, “any customer who experiences continuously or cumulatively power outage for 15 days in a month will be exempted from paying the monthly fixed charge to the Electricity Dis­tribution Company (Discos).”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The order, according to Amadi, who spoke to report­ers in Abuja, took effect from May 1, 2014. He further ex­plained that in as much as the 15 days power outage was not due to the customer’s dis­ruption or default in paying bill, the Discos shall forego monthly fixed charge.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The decision, according to him, was based on the com­mission’s 2005 Act, Section 32 D and F, while he stated that the NERC has decided that the fixed charge remains an essential component of the bill. It has, however, reviewed its continued reflection in the tariff in the payment of the fixed charge in the light of sev­eral complaints by consumers, particularly the payment of the fixed charge when energy is not delivered to them.</span></div> <div> <br /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Prepaid Meter: Federal Approves N33b intervention fund for Discos

Prepaid Meter: FG approves N33bn intervention fund for Discos   S The Federal Govern­ment has approved N33 billion low in­terest ...

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FG deploys 30 security agents to guard Buhari after assassination attempt failed

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">FG deploys 30 security agents to guard Buhari after assassination attempt failed</span></span></h3> <div class="post-header" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"> <div class="post-header-line-1"> </div> </div> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-304279648228203822" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 670px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVE2Vio2sI-VGS8_x3NRxBapMKqLTOD31ZJYNXFT3nMd0_fq_ziiT5ZmyHTsf6kH1Hs-4osNjsdgxBhdJSOCz5P_uGThvKM-fQ2Ytu6GWe1HPAnHvpLDyGAG7TsPddplyvGOzLhhXMJw8/s1600/Buhari-Bomb-damage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVE2Vio2sI-VGS8_x3NRxBapMKqLTOD31ZJYNXFT3nMd0_fq_ziiT5ZmyHTsf6kH1Hs-4osNjsdgxBhdJSOCz5P_uGThvKM-fQ2Ytu6GWe1HPAnHvpLDyGAG7TsPddplyvGOzLhhXMJw8/s1600/Buhari-Bomb-damage.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Security has been tightened around one of Nigeria’s leading opposition figures and former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, after a failed bid to kill him last month.<br /><br />Buhari, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who has been in the presidential race since 2003, escaped death by a whisker when a suspected Boko Haram member who tried to break into his convoy in Kaduna while he was on his way to Daura, his hometown in Katsina State, detonated his bomb-laden vehicle that destroyed cars in the convoy.<br /><br />While Buhari, who was riding in an armoured sport-utility vehicle (SUV) escaped without any injury, some of his security aides sustained varying degree of injuries.<br /><br />The incident, which President Goodluck Jonathan said would have plunged Nigeria into turmoil if Buhari had been killed, has necessitated the review of security around the APC chief.<br /><br />When New Telegraph sighted Buhari, who was in New Bussa, in Borgu Local Government of Niger State at the weekend for the wedding of Hadiza, one of the daughters of the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro, he was accompanied to the ceremony by about 30 security agents. Besides the large retinue of security agents, Buhari’s contact with the public was restricted to the barest minimum.<br /><br />Buhari, who came to Borgu with his security in a convoy of about 12 vehicles, mostly SUVs, was sighted at the Muhammadu Sani Memorial Central Mosque at about 2:09p.m.<br /><br />He was dressed in sky blue three-piece traditional attire with a cap to match just as his numerous admirers, mostly, youths started amidst hailing him with chants of “Sai Baba” as he alighted from an unmarked Toyota Sequoia SUV.<br /><br />Buhari was closely followed by the security operatives as he entered the mosque and he hurriedly left the venue of the wedding ceremony, a few minutes later.<br /><br />The former leader who beamed with smiles as he acknowledged the cheers from his admirers was ushered into the mosque by some security operatives who were also chauffeur driven into the mosque premises in a black Toyota Land Cruiser marked ‘PATASKUM.’ The security agents prevented people, especially the jubilant youths who were surging forward to touch and have handshakes with Buhari from reaching him.<br /><br />The tumultuous welcome accorded Buhari, especially around the mosque premises almost marred the occasion, prompting some clerics to appeal to the youths for calm to allow them conclude the ceremony.<br /><br />However, unlike in the past when Buhari would step aside at such an occasion to grant press interview, no sooner had the wedding was concluded than he sandwiched by eagle-eyed security aides who ushered him into his vehicle and spirited him away. One of Buhari’s aides told New Telegraph that the decision to beef up security around the former head of state was prompted by the recent attempt on his life in Kaduna.<br /><br />Source: New Telegraph</span><div style="clear: both;"> </div> </div> <div class="post-footer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin: 20px -2px 0px; padding: 5px 10px;"> </div> </div>

FG deploys 30 security agents to guard Buhari after assassination attempt failed

FG deploys 30 security agents to guard Buhari after assassination attempt failed Security has been tightened around one of Nigeria...

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I am satisfied with Jonathan’s efforts to rescue Chibok girls— IBB

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /> <a class="thumbLink" href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/satisfy-jonathans-efforts-rescue-chibok-girls-ibb/" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;" title="I am satisfied with Jonathan’s efforts to rescue Chibok girls— IBB"><img alt="Babangida400" class="attachment-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" height="224" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Babangida400.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="224" /></a><br /> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, was 73 years old yesterday. In this interview to mark the occasion, Babangida, fondly called IBB, speaks on some critical issues in the country,   including the continuous detention of the Chibok girls by the Islamist group, Boko Haram, the power situation in the country, the 2015 general elections, among others.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It has been over 100 days since the kidnapping of the Chibok school girls. Despite the assurances by the international community,   the girls have not been found. What is the way forward? When do you think we can get these girls back home to their parents?<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Perhaps the way forward is what government is doing now. I know there are complications. It is no longer an issue that you could ask the military to move into Sambisa forest and rescue the girls. I think Nigerians want the girls rescued and brought back home alive not dead; that is a very daring thing to do. From my experience as a professional soldier,  a lot of planning, a lot of cooperation,  a lot of study has to be done to achieve this objective. 217 or whatever the number is, is a lot of population to lose just like that. So I think government is trying from what we got during our last briefing; I am quite satisfied that efforts are really being made to get the girls out. You see, the objective is to get them out of that place alive, the operative word is alive, you can order a full scale military operation and you could get them all killed which would defeat the objective.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> </div>

I am satisfied with Jonathan’s efforts to rescue Chibok girls— IBB

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, was 73 years old yesterday. In this interview to mark the occasion, Baba...

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NMA rejects sack of 16 thousand medical doctors

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Update: NMA rejects sack of 16 thousand medical doctors</span></span></h3> <div class="post-header" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"> <div class="post-header-line-1"> </div> </div> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1635322244775252746" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 670px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpQtGVpQT9fx-T_XvATXWuz8BzoIO7wpd04VQT8ZgGrlFZLjACxl3nHPQtJocd7zZQUKdIKQBAiE2bm1MTytd-z6EZlswUUhP_qD4mOKToTRC8EZggAUBirGZV3ZEddhu9S_HJK_cvu7m/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpQtGVpQT9fx-T_XvATXWuz8BzoIO7wpd04VQT8ZgGrlFZLjACxl3nHPQtJocd7zZQUKdIKQBAiE2bm1MTytd-z6EZlswUUhP_qD4mOKToTRC8EZggAUBirGZV3ZEddhu9S_HJK_cvu7m/s1600/unnamed.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Nigerian Medical Association has rejected the sack of resident doctors by the Federal Govt which happened on Wednesday August 13th.<br /><br />At a press briefing today in Abuja, the president of the NMA, Dr Kayode Obembe asked the federal government to withdraw its circular on the sack of the resident doctors and also reverse the directive</span><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"NMA demands immediate withdrawal of the suspension circular and unconditional reinstatement of the so-called sacked resident doctors. Government should show commitment on her part in resolving the current impasse with the NMA rather than resorting to punitive measures that will only further aggravate the already deplorable situation. NMA condemns in totality the alleged presidential directive via the Federal Ministry of Health suspending Residency Training Programme in Nigeria,” the NMA President added.</span></blockquote> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The NMA president also stated that even if FG reinstates the resident doctors, they will still not call off their strike, which is over a month now, adding that the govt must meet its “24-point demand”.</span></div> </div>

NMA rejects sack of 16 thousand medical doctors

Update: NMA rejects sack of 16 thousand medical doctors The Nigerian Medical Association has rejected the sack of resident doctors...

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FG Postpones Resumption of Schools over Ebola

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">FG Postpones Resumption of Schools over Ebola</span></span></h3> <div class="post-header" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"> <div class="post-header-line-1"> </div> </div> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-8356673492675836189" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 670px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5VEvUZQynZOmr8Q-2YYMZZVGCdiglbBxJ8Qu31i-WVTvQSbrR5W4SvK_VIK636oTKAQPefkAXpgm35xeCBNn83QtwmMCs8mjxeKEasHa0OpOL_LOe8oz-_bmqztrjayXZj8WlzVh_SjP/s1600/FG-postpones-resumption.png" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5VEvUZQynZOmr8Q-2YYMZZVGCdiglbBxJ8Qu31i-WVTvQSbrR5W4SvK_VIK636oTKAQPefkAXpgm35xeCBNn83QtwmMCs8mjxeKEasHa0OpOL_LOe8oz-_bmqztrjayXZj8WlzVh_SjP/s1600/FG-postpones-resumption.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Federal Government has reportedly approved the extension of the current holiday of primary and secondary schools across the country until further notice.<br /><br /><a href="http://newtelegraphonline.com/ebola-fg-postpones-resumption-of-schools/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">NewTelegraph</a> reports that the development, government stated, is part of measures to curb the spread of Ebola. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students Matters, Comrade Jude Imagwe, who disclosed the postponement of school resumption in Abuja yesterday did not state how long the students would be on holiday. He said that President Goodluck Jonathan was wary of the danger of the disease to the nation’s future generation and as a result ordered that the schools remained on holiday till the country find a way out of the outbreak.</span><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“He advised that as a President, he did not desire that our secondary and primary schools should be opened at this time because we have high population of young brothers and sisters who want to see themselves grow from primary and graduate tomorrow. We cannot have what it takes to have eye on each of these brothers and sisters: the future of this country in their classes,” he said.</span></blockquote> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">While advising Nigerians to value their life and those of others around them, Imagwe also berated those suspected to have the virus and had been put under surveillance but escaped. This, he noted, constitutes great health risk to many unsuspecting Nigerians.</span></div> </div>

FG Postpones Resumption of Schools over Ebola

FG Postpones Resumption of Schools over Ebola The Federal Government has reportedly approved the extension of the current holiday ...

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FG Postpones Resumption of Schools over Ebola

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">FG Postpones Resumption of Schools over Ebola</span></span></h3> <div class="post-header" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"> <div class="post-header-line-1"> </div> </div> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-8356673492675836189" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 670px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5VEvUZQynZOmr8Q-2YYMZZVGCdiglbBxJ8Qu31i-WVTvQSbrR5W4SvK_VIK636oTKAQPefkAXpgm35xeCBNn83QtwmMCs8mjxeKEasHa0OpOL_LOe8oz-_bmqztrjayXZj8WlzVh_SjP/s1600/FG-postpones-resumption.png" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5VEvUZQynZOmr8Q-2YYMZZVGCdiglbBxJ8Qu31i-WVTvQSbrR5W4SvK_VIK636oTKAQPefkAXpgm35xeCBNn83QtwmMCs8mjxeKEasHa0OpOL_LOe8oz-_bmqztrjayXZj8WlzVh_SjP/s1600/FG-postpones-resumption.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Federal Government has reportedly approved the extension of the current holiday of primary and secondary schools across the country until further notice.<br /><br /><a href="http://newtelegraphonline.com/ebola-fg-postpones-resumption-of-schools/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">NewTelegraph</a> reports that the development, government stated, is part of measures to curb the spread of Ebola. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students Matters, Comrade Jude Imagwe, who disclosed the postponement of school resumption in Abuja yesterday did not state how long the students would be on holiday. He said that President Goodluck Jonathan was wary of the danger of the disease to the nation’s future generation and as a result ordered that the schools remained on holiday till the country find a way out of the outbreak.</span><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“He advised that as a President, he did not desire that our secondary and primary schools should be opened at this time because we have high population of young brothers and sisters who want to see themselves grow from primary and graduate tomorrow. We cannot have what it takes to have eye on each of these brothers and sisters: the future of this country in their classes,” he said.</span></blockquote> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">While advising Nigerians to value their life and those of others around them, Imagwe also berated those suspected to have the virus and had been put under surveillance but escaped. This, he noted, constitutes great health risk to many unsuspecting Nigerians.</span></div> </div>

FG Postpones Resumption of Schools over Ebola

FG Postpones Resumption of Schools over Ebola The Federal Government has reportedly approved the extension of the current holiday ...

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Nigeria approves use of experimental drug, Zmapp, on Ebola patients

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6092016042705633442" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 616px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteyagmxWJNBW56Fahc7YhPa7rlsuwTO4mblAGP6ffNyEHPusObbv3Q7CWFvBb0G0sM6NKYuH5zoS1W-QkruGgR6LhlNCiRSoynXj7l2f_bkt5n_EOTEiiXVQzR1h0MgzfbhcbVHiRIAg/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteyagmxWJNBW56Fahc7YhPa7rlsuwTO4mblAGP6ffNyEHPusObbv3Q7CWFvBb0G0sM6NKYuH5zoS1W-QkruGgR6LhlNCiRSoynXj7l2f_bkt5n_EOTEiiXVQzR1h0MgzfbhcbVHiRIAg/s1600/0.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(153, 0, 0); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></span></a></div> <div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The National Health Research Ethics Committee, Nigeria, has approved the use of an experimental Ebola drug, Zmapp, for treatment of patients infected with the virus.<span style="font-style: inherit;"> The committee, which composed research scientists, is a national body under the Federal Ministry of Health.</span></span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">The endorsement is contained in a statement issued to newsmen by Prof. <strong>Clement Adebamowo,</strong>Chairman of the committee <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_91358595" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Wednesday</span></span> in Abuja. Continue...</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;"></span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="" name="more"></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">The decision by the committee is coming on the heels of <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_91358596" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday’s</span></span> approval by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the use of Zmapp for treatment of Ebola patients.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">“It is ethical to use these treatments in the current situation without first submitting an application to National, State or Institutional Health Research Ethics Committee for prior review and approval.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">“In addition, the Committee waives the current requirement that international shipment of any biological samples out of Nigeria should be preceded by the establishment of a Materials Transfer Agreement.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">“This waiver is to promote rapid international response to this global emergency,’’ the statement said.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">In the statement, the Nigerian National Code for Health Research Ethics emphasised that all innovative and non-validated treatments should be carefully and adequately documented.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">According to the statement, the documentation can form the basis for clinical trials of the efficacy and side effects of the treatment according to established scientific principles.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">In the statement, the ethics committee enjoined all agencies, development partners and research scientists to follow the guideline for the rapid resolution of the current emergency.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">“The guideline will contribute to preparedness in case of future occurrences and contribution to scientific knowledge.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">“It must be noted that all Phase O and Phase I Clinical Trials that may subsequently be designed for treatment of this infection can be approved only by the National Health Research Ethics Committee,’’ it said. </span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">Source: NAN</span></div> </div> </div> </div>

Nigeria approves use of experimental drug, Zmapp, on Ebola patients

The National Health Research Ethics Committee, Nigeria, has approved the use of an experimental Ebola drug, Zmapp, for treatment of pat...

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Ebola: 139 people under surveillance –FG

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Federal Government has said that no fewer than 139 people have been placed under surveillance following their alleged contact with the Liberian victim of the deadly Ebola virus.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Addressing a press briefing on Friday in Lagos, the Minister of Health, Prof. Chukwu Onyebuchi, said two new cases of Ebola infection had been recorded in Lagos which now brings to nine the number of cases recorded in Nigeria so far.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The minister said aside the two fresh cases, there were also six suspected cases which had not been confirmed.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said, “The total number of cases, as of this morning, (Friday) stands at nine out of which eight are Nigerians and one American-Liberian.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Out of the nine confirmed cases, seven are alive and are receiving treatment In Lagos,” he said. He also noted that the fatality rate so far in Nigeria was between 30 to 26 per cent, adding that the rate in all other ECOWAS countries stood at 65 per cent.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I am saying this to enlighten people that having Ebola does not mean you have been condemned to death, survivors have been recorded.”</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also speaking at the press briefing, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, condemned in totality false reports circulating that taking a salted hot water bath could protect one and serve as an antidote to the virus.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The health minister also described the report as “a wicked lie,” adding that “I believe Nigeria has laws in this regard. Such perpetrators must be fished out and prosecuted through the appropriate channels.”</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The two ministers maintained that the best and most effective way to handle the situation was to maintain a regular hand washing culture, use hand sanitisers and reduce handshaking situations with other people.</span></div> <div> <br /></div> </div>

Ebola: 139 people under surveillance –FG

The Federal Government has said that no fewer than 139 people have been placed under surveillance following their alleged contact with the...

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