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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Medical Guild says Lagos hospitals lack doctors

3:00 AM , No Comments

Medical doctors under the employment of Lagos State Government, yesterday raised alarm over what they described as ‘acute shortage’ of doctors across the state – owned hospitals.

Speaking in Lagos, Chairman of Medical Guild, an umbrella body of doctors in the state, Dr.Olumuyinwa Odusote said the worst hit among the hospitals was the state’s teaching hospital, where it takes about five months for a patient to secure appoitment with a doctor.

Odunsote who frowned at the development blamed the problem on mass resignation of doctors following failure of the State Government to implement the controversial Consolidated Medical Salary Scale, CONMESS in the state.

Appealing for quick resolution of the problem by the state government, said: “People wait as far as five months for appointments to see a doctor or get treatment.

Continuing, Odusote called on Lagos State Government to address the shortage urgently by implementing CONMESS.

“We have written to the state government over the problem at hand and we are hoping the resolution will be quicker than expected so that our people will not suffer unduly.”










Source - Vanguard news
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Maigari blasts Malian FA over age-cheats

12:30 AM No Comments

Alhaji Aminu Maigari, President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has taken a swipe against the Malian Football Federation (NFF) for allegedly parading ‘old men’ as teenagers against the Golden Eaglets in Sunday’s 2013 Under-17 African Junior Championship qualifier in Calabar

Maigari, a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship, said the action of the Malian FA is inimical to the overall development of football on the continent, adding that the NFF would follow the protest against the eligibility of such clearly over-aged players in a cadet competition to a conclusive end.







Source - Vanguard news
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Katsina begins 30Mw solar project

12:05 AM , No Comments

Nigeria-German Energy Commission has started the construction of 30 mega watts of solar-powered electricity project to boost power in Katsina State.

Governor Ibrahim Shema flagged-off the project in Katsina, yesterday, giving the firm handling the job eight months to complete it.

Shema, who assured of necessary support and cooperation of his administration to ensure timely completion of the project, further noted the need to tap water, gas and wind to source energy for societal development.

The governor lamented that although inadequate power supply started long ago, the Federal Government was however working hard to tap all the energy sources in the country to address the matter.

According to him, the 30 mega watts of electricity project, when completed, would encourage the development of industries, technology and the creation of jobs among the citizens.

Commissioner for Resource Development, Mr. Musa Nashuni, said Governor Shema had been trying to develop alternative source of energy since he assumed office, pointing out that his efforts were beginning to yield fruitful results.







Source - Vanguard news
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Tanker fire: 2 killed, 3 injured in Ebonyi

12:05 AM No Comments

ABAKALIKI— NO fewer than two persons, weekend, lost their lives after a petrol tanker with registration number Cross River XA 574 Calabar, fell at Ntezi-Amuzu community, along Abakaliki-Afikpo expressway in Ebonyi State.

Three other persons who sustained in juries in the ensuing inferno are now receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

Vanguard learnt that the tanker, which fell on Saturday at about 3:55pm, discharged all the products it was carrying into some compounds belonging to members of Ntezi-Amuzu community which sparked off fire that led to death of two persons and destruction of buildings and lockup shops worth million of naira.

When our correspondent visited the scene, it was gathered that the truck fell because of a bad spot along the expressway which was not properly marked with a road sign to enable commuters take alternative routes.

An eye-witness account revealed that since the incident occurred, the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, in the state is yet to arrive the scene.

Aside from the two persons that lost their lives following the incident, three others were admitted at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA where they are currently receiving treatment.

A member of the community, Mr. Chidi Nwele, said: “It started about 3:55pm on Saturday. When the tanker was just passing, along the line, it fell on the road and led to outbreak of fire. It destroyed two motorcycles, buildings and wounded three persons who are now receiving treatment in the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.

“Two persons by name, Mrs. Margret Nworie and Mr. Felix of Ntezi-Amuzu community lost their lives because of the incident.”







Source - Vanguard news
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Tension over renewed GMoU in Delta

12:03 AM No Comments

WARRI—THE recently renewed Global Memorandum of Understanding, GmoU, between Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL; Egbema/Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation, EGCDF, and the Delta State Government is causing ripples.

In a statement by Chief Jeffrey Ojogun, Chairman/Amadiwei of Benikrukru Community and the General Secretary, Fanty Wariyai, have cautioned the signatories to the renewed GMoU to steer clear from all affairs of the community as their action did not get their backing.

They also warned CNL to stop meddling in the affairs of Benikrukru Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

They accused Chevron of trying to cause disaffection and disunity in the community, threatening to mobilise women and children to cripple the company’s facilities.

The statement read in part: “We just rose from an emergency meeting at Benikrukru, where we resolved that all those who participated in the signing of the renewed GMoU between the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, Egbema/Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation and the Delta State Government be sanctioned.

“They went ahead and signed the renewed GMoU with Chevron, when we have told them not to do so.

“They are on their own as they did not attend the signing ceremony with the total support of our community of which they represent in the EGCDF and henceforth, we do not want them to transact any business in the name of our community again.

“We will no longer accept this divide and rule tactics from Chevron, enough is enough and a word is enough for the wise.”







Source - Vanguard news
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Nigeria’s daily crude production to hit 4million barrels by 2020

12:02 AM , No Comments

ABUJA—NIGERIA’s daily crude oil production is expected to rise by another 1.4 million barrels from its current 2.6 million bpd by the year 2020, just as crude oil reserves is also expected to grow to 40 billion barrels from its present 36 billion barrels.

Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, made this disclosure during the 42nd Annual General Meeting, Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, NSChE, with the theme: “Harnessing Water Resources for National Development,” in Abuja.

According to him, NNPC has exceeded its target for Gas-to-Power aspirations and is taking steps to grow the nation’s crude oil reserves to 40 billion barrels and daily crude oil production to 4 million barrels per day by 2020 in order to ensure that a solid platform is laid for the rapid economic growth and development of the country.

The NNPC GMD further noted that the strategic focus of the management under his watch was to ensure that between 70 to 80 percent of gas produced in the country is channeled to power generation to achieve the robust ambition of stabilizing electricity supply to Nigerians and to industries operating in the country.

“One of the strategic focuses we had when we came on board was to ensure that gas availability to power was met and I am glad to tell you that as at today, we are in surplus of gas availability to power in line with the Federal Government’s power initiative,” Engr. Yakubu informed.

He noted that in the gas value chain, going forward, NNPC would consolidate on gas to power and industry to boost economic activities in the country stressing that the aggressive commercial framework put in place by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has added impetus to the current arrangement.

Engr. Yakubu stated that the gas aggregator and the other key commercial initiatives have gone a long way in stimulating investment in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

On gas flaring, the NNPC GMD revealed that a lot of investments have been put in place to ensure gas flare down noting that as at today gas flare down in the country has reduced to about 15 percent. He stated that export initiatives on gas have been stepped up and plans are under way to achieve zero flare down in the country.

Engr. Yakubu commended the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, NSCHE, for the capacity growth contributions to the NNPC workforce and the Nigerian society adding that their impact on the petroleum sector of the country is far reaching.

He described the theme of this year’s NSCHE conference: “Harnessing Water Resources for National Development,” as apt and necessary noting that there is a global paradigm shift from the use of fossil fuel to renewable energy.

In his welcome address, the National President of NSCHE, Dr. John Erinne, said the Chemical Engineering principles are at the center of techniques and technologies for the treatment of water for a wide spectrum of applications and purposes including oil field-produced water and industrial waste.

He averred that water, which ordinarily should be a resource to support human existence and national development, is ravaging the country as experienced during the unprecedented floods that ravaged the country in the last two months.

He assured that the conference will examine strategies for dealing with floods and other water related disasters.







Source - Vanguard news
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Banks to commence bio-metric capture for customers

12:02 AM , No Comments

Nigerian banks under the auspices of the Bankers Committee will soon commence a bio-metric data capture exercise for all customers in the banking sector.

Managing Director of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, Mr. Umaru Ibrahim disclosed this at the just concluded seminar for finance journalists in Dutse, Jigawa state capital.

Ibrahim said that the banks are in arrangement to have such a system that will capture the data of all bank customers in the country.

He said that the national data system has not been forthcoming as such the banks have decided not to continue to wait for the purported national data system by the National Orientation Agency, but have decided to go ahead with their own data.

He said the banks are considering going into partnership with Pension Fund Operators, PFAs, because they have a similar system in the pension sector.

The banks, according to him, were advised to partner with the PFAs so as not to waste resources and because it will help the banking system.

Ibrahim said that an initiative to promote financial inclusion in nigeria is the cashless policy designed to bring low-cost, secure and convenient financial services to urban, semi-urban and rural areas across the country especially through the mobile payment services.

Ibrahim said that the Central Bank of Nigeria and the NDIC as Nigeria’s financial sector regulators, have an uphill task, improving financial inclusion given the relatively low level of penetration of financial services in the country.

According to the world bank, Nigeria under-performs most of its sub-saharan African peers, with the widest disparity being in the category of percentage of adults who borrowed from a formal financial institution in the past 12 months. It is also reported that only 36 per cent of the adult population make formal use of financial services, Ibrahim stated.







Source - Vanguard news
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