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Gov. Sanwo-Olu insists Tinubu is competent to turn Nigeria’s fortune around

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On Friday, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu galvanized support for Bola Tinubu’s presidential bid.

The governor addressed the 17th Executive and Legislative Parley, which was held for all elected public officials in Lagos State.

He said Mr Tinubu possesses the competency and magic wand to turn around the nation’s fortunes for general good.

“Let me stress the importance of working together as one family, especially as we approach 2023, which is an all-important electioneering year.

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“There is a whole lot we can achieve together as a united bloc. I enjoin all of us to come together and rally round our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he gives the nation’s presidency a shot.

“He has given himself to the good people of Lagos, and now he wants to replicate his progressive ideas at the national level. It is time to pay him back with our unwavering support. He is, no doubt, the right and best man for the job. He knows the issues plaguing our nation like the back of his hands and he has the magic wand to fix it.”
Harvest period

The forum also offered Governor Sanwo-Olu an opportunity to share the strides recorded by his administration in the previous year and jointly review programmes in the pipelines with the delegates for more impactful results.

All members of the National Assembly from Lagos, State House of Assembly, the Executive Council, Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and members of the State’s All Progressives Congress (APC) executive are attending the three-day event holding at Marriott Hotels in Ikeja, with the theme: “Mobilizing Citizens as a Social Capital Towards 2023 General Elections”.

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Mr Sanwo-Olu said the parley was organised with the ultimate goal of seeking inputs of critical public sector stakeholders and create strategic ways to implementing ideas that would alleviate the suffering of masses, while also improving life quality, as well as economic development.

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The Governor said the executive arm, which he leads, had consistently thrown its doors open to diverse opinions and views, noting that the forum had become a part of the Government’s effort towards distributing development across all parts of the State.

“This administration, from the outset, did not delude itself into thinking it had the monopoly of knowledge with regards to finding the right solutions to the myriad challenges confronting the State.

“This explains why we have consistently thrown our doors open to diverse opinions and views from various sources, while also creating a forum to rub minds with all critical stakeholders with a view to achieving the Greater Lagos of our dream.

“The remarkable strides attained in the last two and a half years would have been impossible, but for the efforts of everyone gathered at this forum today.

“The past year was particularly remarkable for us in our aspiration to improve infrastructure across the State, many of which have been commissioned, thus giving Lagosians a new lease of life. As a forward-looking Government, we are more focused on the present and the future than the past, because, no matter the level of successes it had brought to us, the past is no longer as important as the present and the future.”

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Despite the challenges faced by the State in the early months of the current administration, including the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the destruction orchestrated by the EndSARS protests, Mr Sanwo-Olu said his Government had raised its head high and had not let down the electorate. He said his administration had visible achievements with great impact to showcase as the first four-year tenure of his Government draws to the end.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the current year and 2023 would be a harvest period for Lagos to reap more dividends of democracy, stressing that the State Government had fast-tracked the completion and delivery of key infrastructure, which includes Imota Rice Mill, 27-kilometre Blue Line and 32-kilometre Red Line rail projects.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said legislators, who are the closest to the people, must give in their best to ensure the executive succeeds.

Mr Gbajabiamila, represented by the Leader of Lagos Caucus in the Green Chamber, Dolapo Badru, described lawmakers as “party’s eyes at the grassroots”, as he urged them to partner with the executives in enhancing development and mobilising people for the party’s success.

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, said the parley would help the participants to bond under a common vision and mission, as well as projecting beneficial political discussions.

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Mr Obasa charged the executive and legislature to continue to work together for the progress and development of the State.

The Leader of GAC, Tajudeen Olusi, stressed the responsibilities imposed on political parties by the Constitution, advising all public officers under the APC to roll out their programmes in line with party manifesto.

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1,197 Nigerian-trained doctors move to UK since May

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About 1,197 Nigerian-trained doctors moved to the United Kingdom since May 29, 2023, to date,  investigation has revealed.

At the moment, Nigeria is set to overtake Pakistan and become the country with the second-highest number of foreign-trained doctors in the UK.

Currently, India remains the country with the highest number of foreign-trained doctors in the UK.

This is according to the register of the General Medical Council of the UK.

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The GMC is a public body that maintains the official register of medical practitioners within the UK.

Though about 1,197 Nigerian-trained doctors were licensed between May 29, 2023, and December 1, 2023, the total number of Nigerian doctors licensed to practise in the UK is now 12,198.

This figure, however, excludes Nigerian doctors who were trained in other countries.

Presently, there are 73 Nigerian-trained doctors in the field of anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine, 61 in the field of emergency medicine, 241 for general medicine, 207 for obstetrics and gynecology, 17 for occupational medicine, 16 for ophthalmology, pediatrics field with 164, and 50 for pathology.

There are 35 of them for public health, 357 for psychiatry, 29 for psychiatry and 135 for surgery.

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The rate of migration of medical doctors has recently become a matter of concern. The Nigerian Medical Association, while lamenting the high rate of medical brain drain, had said Nigeria might import doctors in the future.

In 2015, only 233 Nigerian doctors moved to the UK. The number increased to 279 in 2016, while the figure was 475 in 2017. In 2018, the figure rose to 852, while it further increased to 1,347 in 2019.

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In 2020, the figure was 833 even though the GMC closed operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The figure for 2021 was put at 932.

The Chairman, Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals, Prof. Emem Bassey, commenting on the brain drain recently said, “Some African countries are also beginning to poach from Nigeria.

“The West Coast is looking for our specialists. So many people are now going to places like Sierra Leone and Gambia and the wages they earn are $3,000 to $4,000. It is about three to four times what they earn back home. So we are beginning to see that people are leaving for other African countries too.

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“The health sector is currently undergoing a major crisis in terms of manpower. What we are seeing is that medical specialists, not just doctors, even nurses even more nurses are leaving. Doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, radiographers and all manner of health professionals are leaving the country in droves.”

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Elumelu to global leaders: Prioritise climate change issues

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The Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Tony Elumelu, has called on world leaders to give priority to climate change issues.

Elumelu, who said this when he brought together global leaders to drive immediate and equitable climate action for Africa at the COP28 – UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

“Addressing climate change remains the paramount challenge of our era. The urgency is unmistakable; there is no room for delay. It is imperative that we enhance our efforts to tackle these issues and establish the groundwork for a sustainable future.” Elumelu stated. “It is critical that Africa, as a continent, and African voices, play a key role in global climate conversations, as meaningful participants, and no longer as bystanders – Africa must actively set the agenda,” Elumelu said.

The UN Climate Change Conference hosts world leaders every year to assess progress in dealing with climate change. Elumelu is one of Africa’s leading advocates for an equitable Marshall plan for climate action and through The Tony Elumelu Foundation has empowered thousands of green entrepreneurs shaping a more sustainable future for Africa.

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Elumelu, through his Foundation, The Tony Elumelu Foundation and in partnership with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which he chairs, hosted a high-level session at COP28, bringing together Africans, and key players in the Gulf, Europe, and Americas, where UBA operates, to engage in a multi-stakeholder dialogue, underscoring the urgent need for innovative approaches to climate adaptation and mitigation while fostering sustainable development.

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The TEF Founder said that the Foundation partnered with the UNDP to empower thousands of young Africans, with an ambitious project to impact the lives of one million young Africans in the Sahel region of Africa.

Speaking at the Tony Elumelu Foundation hosted #COP28 high-level event, Dr. Okonjo Iweala, DG, World Trade Organisation stated, “I am terribly proud of what my brother, Tony Elumelu, has done in empowering and inspiring so many young entrepreneurs. We have no choice; the future is green. The future of growth is two things – it is green, and it must be inclusive. I am very interested in partnerships with organisations like the Tony Elumelu Foundation because I don’t want to duplicate what someone else has done.”

Continuing the dialogue, Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa, UNDP Ahunna Eziakonwa, added, “The reason why UNDP associated itself with the Tony Elumelu Foundation years ago is because of the leadership and courage of the Foundation to trust and invest in young Africans. It was one of the first organisations in the world to do so at that scale.”

Sergio Pimenta, VP, Africa at IFC, also stated, “Tony, I salute you and your Foundation for what you have been doing to support young entrepreneurs in Africa. The IFC has deployed $2billion in funding for African SMEs in the last fiscal year and we are very excited to be able to do more work with you.”

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Army donates palliatives to widows, orphans in Rivers

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The Nigerian Army, 29 Battalion under the 6 Division, Port Harcourt, has distributed 10,000 exercise books to students at the Community Secondary School, Ebubu, in the Eleme Local Government Area of the Rivers State.

Also, the Army distributed palliatives to widows and orphans in Ebubu and Aleto communities, as well as in Eleme LGA.

The Army said the gesture was aimed at building goodwill between the military and communities in Rivers State in the fight against criminal activities.

The 29 Battalion under the leadership of the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, handed the materials to the two communities in Eleme on Friday.

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Distributing the items, the Commanding Officer, of 29 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Lt. Cpl. Ishaya Manga, said the non-kinetic approach to tackling criminality in the state was in tandem with the people-oriented philosophy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.

Manga stated, “It would be recalled that on the 13th of October, 2023, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, flagged off an exercise known as Operation Still Water Three here in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

“Part of the exercise is designed to get rid of criminal activities within Rivers State, the exercise is not only conducted by the military alone, other security agencies are also involved in the exercise.

“The community leaders, traditional rulers and other critical stakeholders in Rivers State are also part of the operation.

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“We have seen that using the kinetic approach alone would not guarantee the successful conduct of this exercise and that was why the non-kinetic approach was also adopted in line with the kinetic approach so that we can actualise the vision of the Chief of Army Staff.”

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In line with the philosophy of the Chief of Army Staff, under the leadership of Major General J H Abdussalam, the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Nigerian Army, has directed us to select some of those less privileged homes and vulnerable communities to express our hands of non-kinetic activities.”

Manga, further said the initiative started a month ago, pointing out that other communities have earlier benefited.

He added, “We have started this exercise since last month, especially, we have visited four orphanage homes and distributed palliatives.

“We have also given palliatives to Obele and Ebubu communities, apart from giving out palliatives, we have distributed 10,000 exercise books of 40 leaves to about seven secondary schools within Rivers State.

“Some of those secondary schools are Ebubu community junior and senior secondary schools, Township Model Primary Schools 1 and 2, World Book Capital City Model Primary Schools and St Cyprian Primary School, Port Harcourt.

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“Others are Community Secondary School Egberu, Ndoki, Community Secondary School, Anyama and Community Secondary School Okoloma in Oyigbo Local Government Area.”
Exercise books presented to students of Community Secondary School, Ebubu, by the 29 battalion, 6 DIV, Nigerian Army

Taking delivery of the donated items, the Sister-in-charge of Love Crucified Orphanage home, Aleto, Reverend Sister, Chika Maria expressed happiness, saying it was the first time such a large group of military personnel was visiting them.

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On her part, a widow in the Ebubu community, Aken Charity, who received the palliatives, thanked the Army for the gesture.

Speaking, the Principal of Community Secondary School Ebubu, Mr Nkara Barine, who received the notebooks, assured that the items will be judiciously utilised.

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