- Buhari inaugurates Lekki deep seaport, Imota rice mill in Lagos
- Peter Obi campaigns in Katsina, promises to end insecurity, poverty
- Diesel shortage grounds Abuja-Kaduna train service
- Lagos Assembly moves to upgrade general hospitals to tertiary health institutions
- NCDC confirms 123 Diphtheria cases, 38 death
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss:
Buhari inaugurates Lekki deep seaport, Imota rice mill in Lagos
On Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Lekki deep seaport and the Imota rice mill in Lagos.
The deep seaport was finished in 2022, and the state administration promised that commercial operations would begin in 2023.
The China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC)-built project occupies 90 hectares of the 830 hectares of land designated for the Lagos Free Zone (LFZ).
The deep seaport in the commercial hub of Lagos would accommodate 18,000 TEU-capacity boats, which are four times larger than those berthing at Apapa seaports, hence decreasing the cost of container shipping from any region of the globe.
In contrast, the Imota plant is a 32-metric-tonne-per-hour rice mill constructed by the government to combat food insecurity.
With an annual capacity of 2,800,000 bags of 50kg rice, the facility is anticipated to provide 1,500 direct employment and 254,000 indirect jobs.
At the opening, Lagos governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated that efforts will be taken to guarantee that the Lekki deep harbor is free of traffic and congestion.
He added that the seaport would reduce unemployment in the country.
“This magnificent infrastructure is a result of the combined efforts of the federal government, Lagos state government, and the private sector. It is going to generate thousands of jobs for citizens of Nigeria,” the governor said.
Meanwhile, Buhari is expected to commission the John Randle centre for Yoruba culture and history, and the groundbreaking for the blue line rail phase 2 (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) tomorrow, Tuesday, January 24.
Peter Obi campaigns in Katsina, promises to end insecurity, poverty
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), says he will end insecurity and poverty if elected.
Obi said this on Monday during his party’s presidential campaign rally at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina.
The LP candidate said if elected president, he will work towards ensuring the well-being of citizens.
“Nigerians have been deceived for the past 24 years. I want to urge you to vote for the Labour Party in the forthcoming elections. We have come with the promise of ending the bloodshed, and poverty, and restoring peace in all parts of this country,” Obi said.
Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed, his running mate, also attended a town hall meeting with women and students drawn from various universities in the state.
The LP candidates said it is time for change in the country, adding that they are committed to building a new Nigeria.
“We want to build a Nigeria where there will be security of lives and property; nobody will be in IDP camp; your children will be secured and they will be in school. I will seek your support for that,” Obi said.
“You have been deceived for the past 24 years, that’s what we want to change. Let’s have a new Nigeria.”
In his remarks, Datti Baba-Ahmed said the LP has all it takes to tackle the challenges troubling the country.
“All issues bedeviling the country have come to an end. We will hold your hands to say bye-bye to poverty, unnecessary killings, and kidnapping,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“Job opportunities will be available; the economy will be improved and strengthened. As you can see the condition of poverty and hunger you were sunk into, we are the ones who know how to rescue you.”
Diesel shortage grounds Abuja-Kaduna train service
The Nigerian Railway Corporation, or NRC, has expressed regret for the Monday train delay between Abuja and Kaduna.
After receiving complaints from passengers, Pascal Nnorli, Manager of the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS), released a statement.
The delay, according to Nnorli, was brought on by a scarcity of diesel.
He said that the AGO obtained fell short of the required standard and was categorically rejected following a compulsory laboratory test.
The manager explained that the test is done on every liquid used on the rolling stock, including locomotives, to make sure the proper specifications are being used.
According to the statement, operations would return to normal because management had control of the situation.
On December 5, 2022, the train service between Abuja and Kaduna was restored after a hiatus of more than eight months caused by a terrorist assault.
On March 28, 2022, at Katari in Kaduna State, at least 63 people were kidnapped and about 14 people were killed. After the release of 7 prisoners in July, the final group of 23 prisoners was set free in October.
Lagos Assembly moves to upgrade general hospitals to tertiary health institutions
On Monday, the Lagos State House of Assembly endorsed the committee’s recommendations for upgrading several ordinary hospitals to tertiary medical facilities.
Secondary health centers founded in the 1950s, like those in Badagry and Ikorodu, should benefit, according to Lagos’ Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
Following a discussion of a report provided by Hon. Olusola Sokunle, Chairman of the Committee on Health Services, the House adopted the resolution.
The legislator claimed that in order to identify the appropriate general hospitals that may be upgraded to tertiary institutions, members went on a fact-finding expedition to general hospitals around the State.
The improvement, according to Sokunle, will ease pressure on the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). The law may be advantageous to five hospitals.
The group also suggests adding renal and neurological sections to the hospitals after renovations.
The committee calls for the renovation of Primary Health Centers (PHCs), with Local Government Councils stepping up their public relations efforts to boost residents’ use of them.
The need to take into account general hospitals on both Lagos Island and Lagos Mainland was emphasized by Hon. Wahab Jimoh (Apapa 2).
To ease the strain on the Gbagada trauma center, Chief Whip, Hon. Mojisola Meirada (Apapa 1) argued for the creation of renal units.
Following various contributions, Obasa urged collaboration between general hospitals and public education to improve PHC functionality.
The Speaker pushed for efficient data gathering to decide whether or not a Renal Specialist Hospital should be built in Lagos.
NCDC confirms 123 Diphtheria cases, 38 death
The 123 cases of diphtheria and 38 fatalities in four states have been confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
This was revealed on Monday in Abuja during the Ministerial bi-weekly meeting on the update of COVID-19 response and development in the nation’s health sector by Dr. Pricilla Ibekwe, Head of Special Projects and Partnerships Unit at NCDC.
Ibekwe claimed that in addition to cases that had been clinically suspected, the illness had also been confirmed in laboratories.
She stated that in order to improve surveillance and response to the outbreak, the NCDC was collaborating with State Ministries of Health and other partners.
According to the agency’s most recent data from states, as of January 22, there were 123 confirmed cases and 38 fatalities reported in four states, according to Ibekwe.
She provided the following breakdown by state: Kano had 100 confirmed cases and 32 fatalities, Lagos had five and three, Yobe had 17 and three, while Osun had one case and no fatalities.
According to Ibekwe, Diphtheria is a dangerous bacterial infection that affects a person’s nose, throat, and occasionally skin and is brought on by the bacterium Corynebacterium species.
She claims that contact with infected individuals’ droplets from coughing or sneezing, as well as touch with contaminated objects and clothing, makes diphtheria transmission between individuals quite simple.
“People most at risk include children and adults who have not received any dose of the pentavalent vaccine.
“People who live in areas with poor sanitation, people who live in a crowded environment, and healthcare workers exposed to suspected or confirmed cases of the disease.”
