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Omicron Accounts For 73% Of US Infections As WHO Wants New Year Events Cancelled

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This has since prompted the World Health Organisation to call for greater efforts to ensure the pandemic ends in 2022.

The director-general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, urged nations to redouble efforts to help end the pandemic, calling for New Year events to be cancelled because it was better to “celebrate later than to celebrate now and grieve later. We have to focus now on ending this pandemic,” he said.

The Omicron variant has fuelled record case surges, forcing a return to harsh restrictions in some countries. However, according to the Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, in the United States, President Joe Biden does not plan on “locking the country down.”

In some regions of the country — the Pacific Northwest, South and parts of the Midwest — it already comprises more than 90 percent of new infections.

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Biden is set to deliver an address on Covid-19 later today, however, the White House reported that a mid-level, fully vaccinated and boosted staff member had tested positive for Covid-19 after spending 30 minutes in proximity to the president three days prior. Biden has so far tested negative.

Early data suggests Omicron could be more infectious and possibly have higher resistance to vaccines, despite indications that it is not more severe than the Delta variant.

Since it was first reported in South Africa in November, Omicron has been identified in dozens of countries, dashing hopes that the worst of the pandemic is over.

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The European Union approved its fifth Covid-19 jab Monday — from US firm Novavax — with Europe already far ahead of other parts of the world with its rollout of vaccines and booster shots.

Authorisation of the jab, which uses a more conventional technology than other Covid vaccines, has raised hopes that people worried about getting vaccinated might now come forward.

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The other vaccines approved in the bloc are from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, and the EU has already signed a deal to buy up to 200 million doses of the two-shot Novavax vaccine.

“At a time where the Omicron variant is rapidly spreading… I am particularly pleased with today’s authorisation of the Novavax vaccine,” EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.

London on Monday announced it had cancelled a New Year’s Eve event in the central Trafalgar Square for 6,500 people.

Paris has already cancelled its new year celebrations, and Germany is expected to roll out tight restrictions on private parties and close nightclubs, according to a proposal seen by AFP.

“New Year’s Eve celebrations with a large number of people are unjustifiable in the current situation,” reads the draft document.

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Crisis hits Eko Disco, chairman, directors disagree on MD’s sacking

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Members of the board of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company are at loggerheads over the sack of the company’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tinuade Sanda.

Theheute reports that the firm replaced Sanda with Mrs Rekhiat Momoh, who was said to have taken over on Tuesday.

It was gathered that Sanda’s sack was communicated through a letter signed by the EKEDC Chairman, Dere Otubu, on March 25.

According to Otubu, the decision to relieve Sanda of her duties followed a directive from the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission.

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“We have received a directive from NERC stating that all staff working for the utility must be employed directly by the utility, bound by applicable service conditions that are applicable to the employees of the utility, and paid through the utility’s payroll.

“The Disco is obligated to comply with these directives due to the powers of NERC as stipulated in the Electricity Act 2023. In compliance with the aforementioned directive, all seconded staff from WPG Ltd are being released by Eko Electricity Distribution Plc and returned to WPG Ltd.

“Accordingly, you are hereby relieved of your role, office, and position at Eko Electricity Distribution Plc effectively immediately, and returned to your employer, WPG Ltd,” Otubu had said.

Theheute reported earlier that some senior staff members of the Eko DisCo were recently accused of ghost worker recruitment, fraud and negligence; a claim the firm said was unfounded.

Reacting to the allegation, NERC ordered thorough investigations, while directing that all existing WPG secondees be returned to their original employer.

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While announcing the change of leadership, the DisCo said, “We wish to inform the general public that Mrs Rekhiat Momoh has on 26th March 2024 assumed the role of Acting CEO of Eko Disco.

“This follows the redeployment of our erstwhile MD/CEO Mrs Tinuade Sanda back to WPG Ltd, the core investor who seconded her to Eko Disco.

“We have great confidence in her ability to perform this role effectively and take the company to greater heights,” the EKEDC said.

However, in a rebuttal on Wednesday, a Director and Chairman of the Legal & Regulatory Committee, Mr Babor Egeregor, disagreed with the chairman over the sack of Sanda.

He said the NERC did not order the removal of any staff either seconded to or hired by EKEDC, except those connected to the alleged fraud and negligence.

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“It has come to my notice that by a letter dated 26th of March 2024, the Chairman of EKEDC, Mr Dere Otubu, purportedly terminated the Contract of Employment of Dr Tinuade Sanda, the MD/CEO of EKEDC, allegedly in compliance with orders/directives issued by the NERC.

“The said order of the NERC, herein displayed, are unambiguous, incapable of, and unyielding to plural interpretations. There was nowhere in the order where NERC requested the removal of any staff either seconded to or hired by EKEDC, except those connected to the alleged fraud and negligence i.e., Wola Joseph Condotti, Sheri Adegbenro, and Aik Alenkhe,” he said.

According to Egregor, NERC’s directives were issued to compel the board of EKEDC, following picketing by the union and unrelenting staff protests, “to act appropriately in the face of the determined position of a majority of the board members to cover up the alleged use of ghost workers together with the alleged fraud and protect Wola Joseph Condotti, especially”.

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“Mr Dere Otubu’s letter, therefore, was done in bad faith and in vengeful revenge against the MD/CEO for escalating the alleged fraud and issuing queries against one of his protégés, whom he has desperately sworn to protect by all means.

“Rather than comply with the orders of NERC, a recourse to subterfuge was hatched with the purported termination. There are no doubts about a deliberate agenda and unconcealed mischief to misread the orders of the NERC to malign Dr Sanda’s reputation for daring to escalate and issue queries to Wola Joseph Condotti for alleged fraud through the use of ghost workers for three years, and continuous payment of salaries to exited staff despite personally receiving their resignation letters,” Egregor stated.

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He added that similar queries were issued to the Chief Audit and Compliance Officer, Sheri Adegbenro, and the Chief Human Resources Officers, Aik Alenkhe, “for their failure and gross negligence to audit and detect fraudulent payments on payroll for over three years”.

On the appointment of Momoh as the Acting MD/CEO, Egregor said, “The board of EKEDC, on which I sit, has neither met nor decided on the purported appointment of Mrs Rekiah Momoh as Acting MD/CEO, except Mr Otubu and his close circle of colleagues have transformed themselves into ‘the board’.

“I and all well-meaning members of the EKEDC board, I believe, should vehemently distance themselves from this contrivance.

“The board is not a one-man show, and matters are to be collectively deliberated on and approved by Board members. Mrs Momoh is the Chief Commercial Officer of EKEDC and remains so.”

Amid the allegations of fraud, the director took pride in saying that the EKEDC was known for due process and legality, adding that anything that would erode the commitment to due process and corporate governance would be resisted.

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“Therefore, let it be known that Dr Tinuade Sanda remains the MD/CEO of Eko Electricity Distribution Company and has since her assumption of office as the MD/CEO, turned EKEDC around for good, with very great milestones and achievements which every sector player recognises.

“She made EKEDC the number one distribution company in Nigeria. The investors, board, and management of EKEDC believe firmly in her leadership and look forward to many more record-setting and breaking moments,” he submitted.

Contacted, the EKEDC spokesperson, Babatunde Lasaki, told our correspondent that Sanda was not sacked but only asked to step aside “until the realignment of the structural management process is completed”.

According to Lasaki, Momoh was appointed to avoid a vacuum.

He did not react to the allegations raised by Egregor and refused to respond to the inquiry about whether or not Sanda would return to her office after the purported realignment of the structural management process.

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Similarly, the NERC promised to officially react to the crisis rocking the Eko Disco.

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FrieslandCampina-led Value4Dairy project to boost milk production in Oyo, Osun, Abuja

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The dairy sector in Nigeria is about to undergo a transformative journey with the inauguration of the latest Value4Dairy Consortium project. Held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Oyo State, on March 19, 2024, this event signals a significant leap forward for Nigeria’s dairy industry.

Co-funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this project represents a substantial investment in Nigeria’s dairy sector. It aims to boost small-scale milk production and promote sustainability across three dairy zones in Oyo, Osun, and Abuja. The inauguration ceremony brought together government officials, industry leaders, farmers, and key stakeholders to celebrate this groundbreaking initiative.

These self-sustaining dairy zones will not only facilitate milk aggregation but also provide essential resources and training to enhance productivity sustainably. Led by FrieslandCampina WAMCO, the Consortium will leverage cutting-edge advancements in feed, breeding, and sustainable farming practices to uplift local farmers and drive economic prosperity across the sector. Through strategic interventions, the Consortium aims to empower 10,000 pastoralists and smallholders initially, with plans for expansion to include 40,000 milk producers in subsequent years.

The project’s impact transcends mere dairy production, encompassing broader societal benefits such as improved food security, heightened nutrition, and reduced conflicts between herders and farmers. Embracing a gender-intentional approach, the program also includes dedicated initiatives to empower women and foster inclusive growth.

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At the Inauguration Ceremony, Mrs. Winnie Lai-Solarin, Director of Animal Husbandry Services at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, delivered a compelling address on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari. In her speech, Mrs. Lai-Solarin emphasized the profound significance of the Value4Dairy Consortium project in Nigeria’s agricultural landscape.

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Highlighting the project’s potential to enhance food security and uplift rural communities, Mrs. Lai-Solarin commended FrieslandCampina WAMCO for its dedication to driving progress within the Dairy Value Chain. She underscored the company’s commitment to implementing impactful programs aimed at accelerating development and fostering sustainability in the sector.

Mr. Roger Adou, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are immensely proud to embark on this transformative journey, expanding our dairy development footprints in Nigeria. Through collaborative efforts and innovative strategies with our Value4Dairy partners, we are unwavering in our commitment to driving economic prosperity and empowering communities nationwide.”

Launched in April 2021, the Value4Dairy Consortium is a collaboration of four strategic partners with expertise in various agri-related value chains: FrieslandCampina WAMCO (a subsidiary of FrieslandCampina and Nigeria’s leading dairy company); URUS (a global leader in artificial insemination, genetics, and herd management systems), Barenbrug (a leading grass and forage seed company), and Agrifirm (a global company that operates in the animal nutrition and crop farming business).

Through various initiatives, including the Value4Dairy Consortium and the Center for Nigeria Dutch Dairy Development (CNDDD), as well as partnerships with academic institutions, FrieslandCampina WAMCO is actively engaged in shaping the future of dairy development in Nigeria.

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Onwukaeme pitches for hosting next WOO Africa forum in Nigeria as WOO president outlines 6 growth factor for industry

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Kingsley Onwukaeme, a stakeholder in Nigeria’s burgeoning out-of-home (OOH) advertising industry, has made an impassioned plea for the World Out of Home Organization (WOO) to host its next Africa Forum in Nigeria.

Onwukaeme, who is the founder of the OOH Academy and convener of the prestigious Location Marketing Awards (LOMA), believes that Nigeria’s vibrant and rapidly evolving OOH market presents an ideal backdrop for this influential global event.

He made the call following the recently concluded first in-person WOO Africa Forum held in Cape Town, South Africa where he made a case for Nigeria’s candidacy. “If you wish to truly understand and engage with the dynamic African market, especially if you have not yet entered our territory, then you have not touched base with the real essence of Africa,” he stated emphatically.

Highlighting Nigeria’s credentials, Onwukaeme pointed out that the country boasts one of the largest and most active OOH markets on the continent. “Our market is experiencing unprecedented growth in the OOH domain,” he said. “Nigeria is a fast-evolving market, leading positive disruption and shaping the future of the industry across Africa. We have what it takes, and more, to host the prestigious Africa Forum.”

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The World Out of Home Organization, the only global association dedicated solely to promoting and improving the OOH industry on behalf of its members, witnessed a productive gathering in Cape Town. During the event, WOO President Tom Goddard outlined six key factors poised to drive further growth in the OOH sector in 2024 and beyond.

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These factors include digital transformation, improving presentation standards and reducing lead times; media ownership consolidation, enabling markets to capture a larger share of ad expenditure; better measurement, building trust and enabling a common trading currency; automation, improving efficiency and enabling programmatic trading; value for money, leveraging OOH’s favorable reach and impact compared to other media; and winning the contest with online advertising, capitalizing on concerns over brand safety, fraud, and fake news plaguing the digital realm.

Onwukaeme, recognizing the significance of these factors, emphasized that for the Nigerian market to fully capitalize on these growth drivers, stakeholders must work collaboratively to establish an audience measurement system for the OOH industry. He highlighted the importance of measurement and data in enabling the success of programmatic and other location-based solutions.

Goddard also announced changes to the WOO board, with Dave Roberts of Primedia stepping down and Jacques du Preez of Provantage taking his place. Additionally, the board agreed to recruit another member representing Sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring the region’s growing importance.

On a global scale, Goddard emphasized that sustainability remains a significant challenge for the OOH industry, alongside the “seemingly remorseless rise of digital.” Major brands and media agencies have set goals to achieve carbon net zero by 2030 and have stated that they will only buy media from Ad Net Zero-rated suppliers. In response, WOO has established a special task force and a dedicated website to assist members in meeting these sustainability targets.

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Despite the challenges, Goddard celebrated the massive creative impact of recent OOH campaigns from global brands like McDonald’s, Gucci, Chanel, and British Airways, leveraging both classic (static) and digital OOH formats to their fullest potential.

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