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Apr 2
A giant meatball made from flesh cultivated using the DNA of an extinct woolly mammoth was unveiled on Tuesday, March 28, at Nemo, a science museum in the Netherlands.The meatball was created by Australian cultured meat company Vow which – promising this was not an April Fools’ joke – said it wanted to get people talking about cultured meat, calling it a more sustainable alternative for real meat.”We wanted to create something that was totally different from anything you can get now,” Vow founder Tim Noakesmith told Reuters, adding that an additional reason for choosing mammoth is that scientists believe that the animal’s extinction was caused by climate change.The meatball was made of sheep cells inserted with a singular mammoth gene called myoglobin.Since the mammoth’s DNA sequence obtained by Vow had a few gaps, African elephant DNA was inserted to complete it.The meatball, which has the aroma of crocodile meat, is currently not for consumption.”Its protein is literally 4,000 years old. We haven’t seen it in a very long time. That means we want to put it through rigorous tests, something that we would do with any product we bring to the market,” Noakesmith said.Vow hopes to put cultured meat on the map in the European Union, a market where such meat as food is not regulated yet. (Reuters)
Apr 2
TROOPS NEUTRALIZE BANDITS, CAPTURES ARMS AND AMMUNITION IN KADUNA STATEIn continuation of the onslaught against bandits and other criminal elements terorising the North Western part of the country,troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army operating in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State has conducted clearance operation along road Kanti-Tantatu in Kubusu forest and Kaso hills general area in Kaduna State to deprive bandits and criminals freedom of action so as to create an enabling environment for economic activities and legitimate businesses to strive.During the operation which lasted several hours, troops dealt a heavy blow on the criminals neutralizing five bandits as well as capturing four AK 47 rifles, six AK 47 magazines and 24 rounds of 7.62mm. Others include three motorcycles, one matchet, two handsets and some charms.The General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Punch Major General Taoreed Lagbaja has expressed satisfaction in the conduct of troops and commended their commitment and resilience during the operation. He also urged all law abiding citizens to continue to support the troops and other security agencies with credible and actionable information that will assist in the fight against the criminal elements.MUSA YAHAYALieutenant ColonelActing Deputy Director Army Public Relations 1 Division Nigerian Army31 March 2023
Apr 2
Everything is under control” Portable releases first official statement, debunk reports of being arrestedNigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola better known as Portable has released his first official statement following arrest.Taking to his Instagram page, his management debunked reports of him being arrested by Ogun State police.In a statement by his team, the singer honored the invitation of the police as he believes they are the citizens friend.They remain positive that everything will go well as he is with the CP and the issue is been attended to.“Remain calm as everything is under control” We writing this for those reaching out to us. Portable wasn’t arrested he went to the police station himself to honor the invitation of the police. Police is our friend we trust and believe the force will carry out their investigations and everything will be done appropriately. We are positive that all will go well as he is with the CP and the issue is been attended to”.“Thanks to everyone reaching out we trust in the police force to do their investigation diligently and we are positive”.Earlier in the day, Kemi Filani reported that Portable had been left humbled following his detention at the Police headquarters in Elewaran, Abeokuta.The “Zazoo’ crooner was handed a 72-hour ultimatum by the Ogun State police command to report himself to the nearest police station after he was captured in a viral video of rough-handling police officers.Portable, as usual, failed to report himself to the nearest police station and was arrested by the police and detained at the State Police headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.In a new video that made rounds on the internet, Portable who had been left humbled was seen trying to defend himself at the Police headquarters.During questioning, Portable claimed that he didn’t know that the men who stormed his bar in the Sango Ota area to arrest him on Tuesday were police officers.
Apr 1
White House proposed protest against Tinubu has no merit – APC U.S.AAbuja, March 25, 2023.Mr Oyakhilome Bello, APC United States National Youth Leader has said that the call by some individuals to protest the emergence of Sen.Bola Tinubu as President-elect on April 3 in the U.S has no merit.Bello who is also the Deputy Director North America Youth Wing Campaign Council said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.He described as baseless the protest against Tinubu’s emergence by some opposition groups at a park in front of the White House on Thursday, saying such protest would produce no result.He said the protest had no weight because the Feb. 25, presidential election that produced Tinubu was free, fair and credible, adding that the former two-term Lagos State governor won the election squarely.He advised Nigerians not to be worried about the development, but to remain calm and peaceful as the APC U.S would mobilise genuine Nigerians to counter the protest and work to protect Tinubu’s mandate.Bello said the chapter would work to ensure that those protesting against Tinubu’s emergence as President-elect would not succeed in their mission to disrupt Nigeria’s peace and stability.He called on all patriotic Nigerians to join hands to work for the country’s unity and peace, and to support Tinubu and Vice-Presidential elect, Sen. Kashim Shettima to enthrone a better Nigeria for all.He added that there was no mandate stolen as being alleged by opposition parties, because the Nigerian electorate freely gave their mandate to Tinubu at the poll.”The election is therefore a true reflection of the voice of the majority, even though there were some identified flaws during the election that could always be improved on.”The United States is a defender of Democracy around the globe, there is no perfect election anywhere in the world and the flaws identified in the just concluded Nigeria’s election can only be improved on.”The majority of Nigerian voters gave Tinubu their mandate, and no propaganda, manipulation or tissue of lies can stop his inauguration,” Bello said.He described as unpatriotic those calling for the establishment of an Interim National Government as being proposed by some individual.He said such individuals does not have Nigeria’s interest at heart, adding that Tinubu would be sworn in May 29th by God’s grace as the country’s 16th president.(NAN)
Apr 1
PRESS RELEASEApril 1, 2023UNRULY PASSENGERWe wish to inform the public about an incident on our 6 pm flight from Abuja to Lagos on Friday, 31 March 2023.A passenger stood up and began addressing other passengers in a manner considered inappropriate and unruly, as he was making other passengers nervous.Our crew deemed his continuous unruly behavior unsafe and called on airport security to help with the situation. Upon his refusal to stop or disembark peacefully, the security operatives were left with no choice but to forcefully disembark the passenger as a last option.We are aware that several videos and reports of this incident are circulating on social media and wish to provide the right perspective.Ibom Air wishes to assure our passengers that we maintain very high safety and service standards and will never compromise the safety and security of our passengers.We apologize to the affected passengers for the time it took to disembark this passenger, which caused an otherwise on-time departure to be delayed by an hour.SIGNED,Aniekan EssienetteGroup Manager, Marketing and Communication
Apr 1
Chimaroke Nnamani Tweet ✅
Apr 1
AGAIN NNAMANI ATTACK PETER OBI, SAYS HIS PLAYING WICKED, DANGEROUS, RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC POLITICS.
Former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani said the politics of Labour party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi portends danger to Nigeria as a country.“Peter Giringory Obi’s political forte portends danger to Nigeria. Obi has deflowered the virgin innocence of political patriotism and nationalism in Nigeria,” Nnamani tweeted on Friday.Nnamani accused Obi of deploying religion and tribalism as a brand of politics, a claim Obi has previously dispelled.“The religious politics he mastered in Anambra, he spread across Nigeria’s faith landscape,” Nnamani said.“He served a poisoned chalice of tribalism to Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities. The Roman Catholic Holy Family symbol was now ecumenically explained to my people as Joseph, Mary and Jesus.“Thus replacing the Labor Party logo of Father, Mother and Child. Dual indoctrination of religion and tribalism. Nigerians voting without knowing the candidates nor caring!“Priests and other clergy serving as partisan agents and ferrying voters to polling centers. Mr. Obi carefully selected Igbo and minority areas for the campaign.”Meanwhile, Obi recently asked Nnamani to stop “senseless and unsubstantiated” bigotry allegations to dent his image at the initial stage of their disagreement.Nnamani, who lost his Senate bid to the LP’s candidate, Kelvin Chukwu, on March 18, accused Obi of playing wicked and dangerous politics.“Peter Obi has set the Igbo political trajectory 24 years back. He has become a twin blight and scourge on the land,” Nnamani alleged.“His devious opium served to Christians within sections of Nigeria and to Igbo domiciled in different sections of Nigeria is wicked and dangerous.”Obi, in a letter to the former governor of Enugu State a few days later, said he finds it shocking that Nnamani had to label him as a religious bigot and one who indulges in a campaign of hatred.He stated that throughout his campaign across the country, he was never involved in ethnic or religious politics.Obi, a former Anambra governor, said he believes that Nnamani must have mistaken him for someone else and insisted that he ran an issue-based campaign.“I will also like to challenge anybody including, my dear elder brother, to show anywhere in my public appearance where I in any way portrayed ethnic or religious bigotry or where I called names, even when I came to campaign in Enugu State,” Obi said.Obi said the “senseless and unsubstantiated” allegations by Nnamani were aimed at denting his image. He urged Nnamani to advise him on all other leadership qualities that he lacks instead of attacking his personality.
Apr 1
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has slammed a fine of N5 million on Channels TV for breaking the broadcasting code in an interview programme with Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party Vice Presidential candidate.The fine was revealed in a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the television station and dated March 27.The letter was exclusively obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.The letter, with the title: “Broadcast of an Inciting Interview, A Sanction”, was signed by Balarabe Ilelah, the commission’s Director-General.It read in part:” The NBC monitored the broadcast of a live interview of the running mate of the Labour Party Vice presidential candidate, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, by the anchor of Politics Today, Seun Okinbaloye, on Wednesday, March 22.“Dr Baba-Ahmed said it will be unconstitutional to swear in an elected president on May 29, 2023, because of election irregularities,” Ilelah said in the letter.He noted that the broadcast was volatile and capable of inciting public disorder and therefore violated some sections of the broadcasting code.This, according to him, includes the section that said no broadcast shall encourage, or incite, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organisation, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity.Ilelah added that according to the broadcasting code, broadcasters shall ensure that no programme contained anything which amounted to subversion of constituted authority.He recalled that the NBC had engaged Channels Television several times to consider public interest before any programme is broadcast.This, he said, was to ensure that the country was not plunged into anarchy.“Consequently, on the following infractions, Channels Television is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N5,000,000 (five million naira) only in the first instance,” he said.He added that any further infraction by the television station would attract higher sanctions.“You are advised to pay within two weeks from the day of receipt of this letter or the penalty will be graduated,” the NBC Director-General said.On Thursday the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council petitioned the NBC over the same programme, drawing attention to several violations of the Broadcasting Code.
Apr 1
Sun NewspaperWe’re working to make Onitsha destination port for cargoes –Moghalu, NIWA MD26th August 2022By Moses AkaigweNearly 40 years after the Shehu Shagari administration conceived the Onitsha River Port project, a milestone was reached on July 1, 2022, when the Federal Government signed a concession agreement with Universal Elysium Consortium Ltd, thus marking the conclusion of a long process that spanned many years. Two weeks later, on July 16, the port was handed over to the concessionaire by the management of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).In this interview with The Sun, the Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, Dr. George Moghalu, spoke on the impact the development would have on the economy, especially in the south-east. He said focus is now on ensuring that Onitsha becomes a port of destination (instead of the present arrangement where cargoes are transloaded on barges at the port in Lagos, Port Harcourt or Warri, and moved to Onitsha through the channels). When the port of destination status is achieved, vessels could now depart ports abroad and sail directly to Onitsha, as well as depart Onitsha with goods to other countries.Let us start with the MoU the Federal Government signed recently with the concessionaires on the Onitsha River Port. Give us more details about the sgreementIt wasn’t just an MoU. It was a handover agreement or concession agreement, because long before I became the NIWA MD, there was a world bank-monitored concessioning process that was considering various unsolicited proposals. Eventually, they arrived at a preferred bidder. So, when I came in, I followed up on what was being done to ensure that it was concluded.And it was concluded. The concessioning agreements were reached, written and signed. And, then, we handed over the port. As we speak now, it has been formally handed over to the concessionnaire, Universal Elysium.Why the concessioning process took so many yearsYou see, it is quite a process, and as such you have to ensure that a lot of things are done properly, because you had to follow due process. You have to follow the rules. It is not about bending the rules. It is about following the rules in detail to be sure that what you want to do is in line with universal best practices.However, I agree with you that a lot of time was spent and that was why, when I came in (as NIWA MD), I put in every effort with my colleagues to get it done. That is why we look at Onitsha River Port concession as a poster boy, because we have other concessioning that are coming up. So, we have learnt quite a lot from the Onitsha experience, and I am sure concessioning the other ports or even other infrastructure, will not take that long like Onitsha did.Why concessioning? Is that most viable option?If you look at modern business practices today, concessioning is a very good option, because the resources available to government are not as they used to be. So bringing in the private sector partnerships is the way to go now. Then, apart from the fact that you have advantage of proper management, it is to be run as a business. And it reduces pressure on the government.Don’t forget that these ports were built over two decades, three decades ago and nothing has actually happened. So, we think concessioning is our best option. And that was where government was proceeding.Was everything done to ensure that the interests of the parties, including the government; the people, who are the users of the port; and the concessionnaire, are all protected?Yes. The people are more of the beneficiaries. And, before we got to this stage, we had done quite a lot of stakeholders engagement. We engaged the private sector, importers associations, chamber of commerce and critical stakeholders in the port business.If you look at benefits, it is neither for the government, nor the concessionaires, but more for the people because if Onitsha River Port is actively functional and the channels are opened for cargo to move from Lagos to Onitsha, the importers will benefit massively. The local environment will benefit and there will be employment opportunities.Pressure will be reduced on our roads. I am one of those who believe that we need to open up our river waterways so that we can move cargo by water as we have in most civilised countries. Bulk cargo is moved either by water or by rail. But here, we move 90 percent of bulk cargo by road. And our roads are not designed to carry the weights they are carrying.If we take a simple analogy and say let’s assume that it is five million containers that come to the country: If those five million containers are going to the south-east where you have more than 60 to 75 percent of these cargoes go, what that translates to is that the number of cargoes, assuming it is five million containers, means that 10 million trailers will be on the road. That is because five million will carry the containerised cargo and then five million will return the empties.Our roads are not designed to carry this kind of pressure, and they keep damaging our infrastructure.If we are able to use the water, we will save the resources that we require to build these infrastructure and then convert them to other contending areas of interest for the government to invest their resources, which for now, all of us know, are now limited.Was it all about Universal Elysium Consortium, or were there other bidders that showed interest?It was not about Universal Elysium Consortium. It was a process. It was a contestable process. A lot of companies contended. Like I said, the World Bank was involved, and they set a standard. And after all the submissions and proposals from various organisations, it was zeroed down to about three or five of them. They (Universal Elysium) were also considered alongside the others and eventually, they emerged as the concessionaires. It is not that Universal Elysium was just appointed.Would you say the concession process is concluded, and without litigation?I don’t think we have any issues now. The road is clear, because as we speak, the technical partners of Universal Elysium, the Port of Antwerp (in Belgium), are already at Onitsha. Our Area Manager reported to me that they had arrived. For us, the process has started and we are looking forward to the great enthusiasm and expectations to see that the place works. This is because we look at it more, from the point of view that it is a trial run, just like what you want to do first. Then, we can now build on it and continue from there.What are concessionaires expected to do? Are they going to make investments?They are going to run the port and do a lot of investments. You can’t run a port without expecting to make some reasonable investments, both in terms of making sure the channels are opened, making sure that the port conforms in line with modern developments and technology. There is quite a lot of investments to be made. It is a business. It is an ongoing business and not a one-off thing. The concession is about 30 years and we are expecting to make N23 billion from there. It is not a free donation, but a strictly business investment on the part of the government and Universal Elysium. So everybody will benefit.How manufacturers and businessmen in south-east would benefit from concession of Onitsha port.We have opened up the economic corridor of the south-east. It is expected that our people will buy in. That was why we engaged the business community; We have talked to the Importers association and the chambers of commerce, because that is a major corridor to move cargo in and out of the south-east. This is because if cargo land in Lagos, they transport them in barges to Port Harcourt and Warri – these are major ports – and then come to Onitsha and other inland ports, using them to discharge the cargo.A lot of people will be involved. It is a business chain. The import business is a business chain.For example, if somebody has 20 to 30 containers, 10 containers or one, and the containers arrive in Lagos and they are cleared and moved by barges to Onitsha, it is a major milestone.For us now, the next stage is to see how we can get Onitsha to be a port of destination. The moment it becomes a port of destination, a lot of advantages will also keep accruing to the project. This is because being a port of destination means that cargo can move directly to Onitsha. Then goods can also move directly from Onitsha out of the country.For an importer across the Niger, what port will be the destination for his cargo, for instance, raw materials?By the time Onitsha Inland Port becomes a port of destination, consignments can move directly to Onitsha. But then, the size of the ship has to be considered. It is not every ship that can come to a river port. If they are ocean-going vessels, they stop in Lagos or Port Harcourt, Warri or even Calabar port. Then we can transload on barges. But smaller vessels can come straight to Onitsha when it becomes a port of destination.Related NewsNSIA announces audited financial results, grows net assets By 10.5% to N1.02trnNECA urges FG to address challenges killing businesses in NigeriaMTN team visits Abia governor-elect Otti, plans investmentsWhat will it take to make Onitsha a port of destination?There are processes to make it a port of destruction. And I can assure you that the process has commenced.When you describe concession of Onitsha River Port as a test case of poster boy, is it that Oguta, Lokoja and Baro are next?Yes, we have Oguta and Lokoja ports that are ongoing. We have Baro port (in Niger state) that has been completed. It is a world class port, and has been completed and commissioned with all the modern equipment you can imagine in place. And we have started receiving unsolicited proposals, asking for concessions for those ports – even the ones that are under construction. So, we are giving all of them consideration. We want to encourage PPP (public private partnership) arrangements by the government. Concessioning of Onitsha has succeeded, and we are going to use it as a model to adapt to other ports. That is why I said Onitsha is our poster boy. And, it is not only ports; there are other businesses, such as concessioning of jetties, waterfronts and others. There are many other projects we are exploring the possibility of using to expand our business scope.Personally, how do you feel about the success of the Onitsha Inland Port project?It must be very fulfilling.I feel very excited that God used me. And I give God all the glory. It could have still happened under someone else, but God has positioned me at this point and this time. And I have made myself available to be used to drive the process. So, I feel personally fulfilled and I want the maximum benefit for the people of Nigeria, particularly those from the south-east extraction where the port is located.Balancing dry and liquid cargoes, such as petroleum productsWhy not? I have already opened discussions with Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to move liquid cargo from point A to B, and then discharge it to the nearest required locations. I don’t see why we can’t do that, especially now that the NNPC has become a private company (now called Nigerian National Petroleum Company). We are going to engage them.Concerns about policy reversal by new administrationI agree with you that this fear is there, because I have been confronted with such fears by people, but I have consistently reassured them of our commitment. For example, we have a 30-year agreement that is binding on government for this particular one (Onitsha Inland Port) that we just concluded.Wherever there is a concession going on, the liabilities and expectations of all sides. are clearly spelt out, and then agreements are signed. Once agreements are signed, it is binding. You cannot wake up in the morning and terminate an agreement that is binding on parties that signed the agreement.Why is it that NIWA seems to have misunderstanding with Lagos over control of water ways, more than with other littoral states?You mustn’t rule out the fact that Lagos is the maritime capital of this country. But I don’t think those issues are in the front burner now.Everybody is beginning to understand clearly where their authorities start and where they end. It is very clear. We are a federal agency whose responsibilities are clearly mapped out in the act establishing the agency.The responsibilities of the state agencies are also mapped out in the laws establishing them within the states. But the truth about it is that these limitations are clear. So it is a matter of understanding how you operate the laws.But I like I have always said, the important thing is the Nigerian people. How would they benefit.How do we address our challenges. For me, the sky is too large for all birds to fly. So, we encourage the state agencies and we are willing to collaborate. However, what we will not do is to concede our rights and authority. We are willing to collaborate to the benefits of the people, and that is what we are doing with Lagos, and other states where issues of disagreements on rights, authority and control arises. We discuss them and arrive at required conclusions.There exists a commission that resolves disputes over land boundaries between states. In maritime, do you have a similar body?We don’t need to have that. It is clear. The laws are very clear as to who controls where and what.I don’t think we need that. But where there are strong positions, you request for judicial interpretations.There have been a number of boat mishaps this year alone. Does it mean that your measures at NIWA to ensure security and safety are not working?It is not about the measures not working. It is about following the rules. Statistics have shown that majority, if not all, mishaps that happen in our waterways, happen either in the night or in the early hours of the morning. We have also come to terms with the fact that failure to adhere strictly to guidelines and principles have also caused all those mishaps.And we have done a lot in getting people to understand. For example, there is a ban that you cannot do night sailing: You cannot take off from any NIWA-controlled jetty at night. We have given circulars to jetties that we don’t control that once it is 6:30pm, no vessel will leave from any registered jetty in the night, and that no jetty should take off in the morning before 6: 30 am. These rules are there.Again, you cannot enter any jetty without wearing the right life jacket because life jackets expire.For us to do this, we have been distributing life jackets. We have set up task forces across the states that monitor and ensure these rules are kept. As we speak, we have established nine search-and-rescue stations in this country. We are even in the procurement process of additional three, and we continued doing that. We have procured and released patrol boats to monitor activities in our waterways. We are doing a lot of sensitisation using local radio and TV stations to sensitise our people on the need to follow the rules. Once these rules are followed, the likelihood of accidents will not be there.At the same time, I plead with the media because sometimes they over-sensationalise issues and create problems for us. The other day, the report was that there was a boat mishap in Niger and 50 passengers died. That was not true. At the end of the day,, 24 drowned and 23 were rescued. We lost one life. Yes, I agree that one life is also very important, but not when you now report that 50 passengers died. By doing so, you create anxiety. The other time in Lagos, they reported that all the 19 passengers died. At the end of the day, only two lost their lives. I am not saying that the two passengers that lost their lives are not important. They are very important and we don’t want that to happen. I appeal that the journalists wait and investigate to get the right facts.But a lot is being done to ensure our waterways are safe. We are providing all that is required and making sure the boats are standardised. As we speak today, boats are registered electronically. It is not like before. We are doing training for our boat operators and captains. The other day, I was in Badagry to close a training session of 450 boat drivers and we are re-licensing them.Whose initiative is the training?This is a NIWA initiative. Boat mishap is a challenge and it is not about me now, but NIWA as an institution. It is about our doing well what is expected of us. It is about justifying the confidence of government in establishing the agency.Does NUWA generate revenue in the process of organising the training sessions?For sure, because licences are paid for. We also subsidise because we want to encourage as many people as possible. The target is not revenue, but about regulating the industry to make sure things are done properly.
Apr 1
The country trained you to realise your dream of becoming a medical doctor at less than 10% of what it costs.You use it to fabricate falsehood to humiliate and bully others for their political viewsNow, the country took the license from you since you aren’t worthy of it.
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