Day: August 2, 2023

The Nigerian Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) and other stakeholders on Tuesday called for the implementation of six months maternity leave policy to facilitate exclusive breastfeeding of infants in the country.

Dr Olufolake Abdulrazak, wife of the Kwara state governor, representing the NGWF, stated this during the launch and press briefing ceremony in commemoration of the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and other partners in Abuja.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Enabling Breastfeeding: Making a difference for Working Parents.’’

Mrs Abdulrazak said the forum will partner with others to champion the advocacy, which will improve the health and wellbeing of the mother and child, as well as eliminate malnutrition in the country, thereby reducing child’s mortality rates.

She noted the challenges mothers face in navigating their work schedule and providing the best care for their children, stressing the need for implementation of policies that will ensure babies were exclusively breastfed for the first six months and complementary fed to at least two years.

“Breastfeeding plays an integral in the healthy development of infants and we must all come together to create an enabling environment that support and encourages this natural practice.

“In the NGWF, we are wholeheartedly dedicated to championing the cause of breastfeeding and improving the lives of women and children across our nation.

“We are proud to announce that we have taken a significant step forward by signing a statement of commitment to provide support through effective advocacies for improved nutrition in the country.’’

While advocating for realistic budgeting, timely release of funds for nutrition, she said the NWGF was committed towards creating awareness on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, establishment of creches in workspaces and advocating for six months paid maternity leave.

On issue of prevalence of malaria, she disclosed that Kwara state went down to 20 per cent, which was lower than the 26 per cent at the national average level.

Dr Nemat Hajeebhoy, UNICEF’s Chief Nutrition Officer, said a child’s development is not completed at birth, but rather breastmilk facilitates the completion of the development, especially the brain.

Hajeebhoy, added that the Convention on the Child Rights, stipulates their rights to access to adequate nutrition, which begins at birth within the first hour of breastfeeding, which was essential as the first immunisation.

“It is the act of breastfeeding and the breast milk that enables the growth for babies. The child’s development is not completed at birth, it is the breastmilk that helps the completion especially in and brain development.

“So enabling mothers and babies to be together once the child is born is no longer in her womb is each of our responsibility,’’ she said.

She, explained that Nigeria had over 18 million employed women, but only nine per cent of the organisations offer breastfeeding support, hence the need for employers to implement policies that would promote breastfeeding.

“We are asking employers to offer six months maternity leave, set up safe spaces in the offices so that a mother can go and breastfeed her child and offer some flexible working arrangement.”

Also, Dr Walter Mulombo, Country Representative, World Health Organisation (WHO) said the 2023 WBW theme aim to raise awareness and galvanize action that enable breastfeeding in the workspace.

“Enabling breastfeeding and supporting working parents is crucial for promoting optimum breastfeeding practices and ensuring the health and wellbeing for both infants and mothers.

“Support for breastfeeding increases women’s work motivation, attendance, satisfaction and productivity.

“It also provides vital health and nutritional benefits for children with positive lifelong impacts. Women shouldn’t be left to choose between breastfeeding their children and their jobs,” he said.

Dr Osita Okonkwo, Country Director, Nutrition International, said the organisation with supports from partners in 2022 distributed over 20 million vitamin A across to states and has earmarked over 22 million to improve nutrition and reduce prevalence of child and maternal mortality.

Mr Adebiyi Folorunsho, Permanent Secretary, FMoH, while highlighting the benefits of breastfeeding, said only nine per cent of organisations in the country have workplace breastfeeding policy.

Folurunsho, represented by Mrs Boladale Alonge, Director in the ministry said breastfeeding provides energy, nutrients for child’s development and prevents the burden of malnutrition infectious diseases and mortality, while also reducing the risk of obesity and chronic diseases in later life.

He added that breastfeeding mothers are also protected them from chronic diseases including breast and ovarian cancer, Type 2 diabetes, as well as increase productivity at the workplace and saves monetary expenses.

“Evidence has shown that women need adequate time and support to practice optimal breastfeeding. Lack of support in the workplace is one of the reasons, why women stop breastfeeding early,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that representatives from the Federal Ministries of Women Affairs, Labour and Employment, Humanitarian Services, Disaster Management and Social Development, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), as well as other stakeholders were present at the event.

NAN reports that UNICEF said seven out of 36 states provide six months of fully paid maternity leave while only 34 per cent of children aged zero to six months are exclusively breastfed as recommended.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Senate has acknowledged the laudable achievements of the Executive Director (Business Development) of Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM) and Delta Ministerial Nominee, Stella Okotete.

The upper chamber lauded her achievement in growing the non-oil exports and business fortunes of the Bank.

The commendation came after the Senator representing Delta Central, Ede Dafinone moved a motion at the ongoing ministerial screening exercise, urging his colleagues to allow Okotete take a bow and leave.

Dafinone, while moving the motion, said he had had opportunity of working with Okotete during his one year stay as Non-Executive Director with NEXIM, adding that the nominee was the engine room of the international reputable bank.

“What the nominee did not mention was that, her position as the Executive Director of Business Development Unit, means she was at the engine room of the bank.

“The business development unit, is the operational department of the NEXIM Bank.

“So, she was in charge of the operations of the bank and in that capacity, she was able to grow the balance sheet of the bank and she has done exceptionally well.

“I want to add also, that as a young woman, she has also favoured the youth and women in her policies at the bank, aside the policies she had done at home, encouraging young people in various departments and empowerment Programmes.

“She has also been instrumental in growing non-oil exports and as at today, the non-oil exports are the key focus of this administration.

“My Colleagues said she has distinguished herself already, what I need to add is that, I speak for my 2

two colleagues from Delta who are both fully in support of the nominee.

“I ask distinguished members, if the nominee from Delta, can please be recognised

for her good work in NEXIM Bank, with the background that, she has served one complete term at NEXIM Bank and that the term has been renewed about a year ago.

“This shows she has distinguished herself at the bank. With that, I urge that distinguished members, do ask the nominee from Delta to please take a bow.

President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio also attested to the role of Okotete in women and youth development as former Woman Leader of the ruling party, APC.

He said: “honestly, when she mentioned that she was a women leader of the greatest party in Africa, I just remembered that we are all from political parties and in normal circumstances, the party is supreme”.

Akpabio also went further to ask the nominee to take a bow and the response was in affirmative with overwhelming and resounding ‘AYES’.

Earlier, while giving a short profile of herself, the nominee, who was born in 1984, took the Senate through the journey of her career and achievements recorded, especially in women and youth development, as well as her exploits at the NEXIM Bank.

“The immediate past President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammad Buhari, in 2017, found me worthy and appointed me, in line with the Act of Export and Import Bank, Sections 11, 8 and 14 , as Executive Director of NEXIM bank in charge of Business Development.

“The functions of the ED Business Development of the Bank, which I still hold till date, is to drive the business directorate of the Bank, to create quality risk assets and to also provide funding for exporters in the non-oil sector.

“When we resumed in 2017, we met a balance sheet size of N67 billion. We had grown it to N256 billion by 2022 when our tenure got renewed.

“We also met a bank that was already recording loses, year-in, year-out for three years.

“As at 2016, the bank had recorded over N6 billion losses. Today, the Nigerian Export and Import Bank is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other global export banks and profitably as one of the leading export credit institutions in Africa.

“I was also the women representative, popularly known as the Woman Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Caretaker Committee in 2020.

“As Woman Leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress at that time, I was able to bring to bear, quality representation to our women and we established new policy that helped shape visibility for our women across board.

“One of it is the Progressive Women Academy, which was approved by the Apple Store and Google Store.

“It is an online academy where women can learn various self skills to make themselves not just visible in the business space but also in politics.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Amb. Abdullahi Shehu, Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation has commended Russian government for granting opportunities to African students.

Shehu gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Moscow, Russia.

Describing the development as one of the significant gains of Russia-Africa Economic Summit, he said that it would further deepen the relationship between Russia and African countries.

NAN was one of the the media partners of the summit and had its Managing-Director, Mr Buki Ponle, present at the event.

Recall that Russian President, Vladimir Putin said that Russia’s teacher training colleges and universities plan to admit more students from African countries.

Putin said this at the plenary session of the 2nd Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum held on July 27 and July 28 at the Expoforum venue in St. Petersburg.

“A project was launched in 28 African countries for setting up open education for training instructors and teachers for pre-school establishments, elementary and secondary schools.

“Toward this end, we are planning to significantly increase the enrolment of African students in Russian pedagogical institutions of higher learning,” the Russian president said.

Reflecting on the first Russia-Africa Economic Summit in 2019, Shehu said that Russia made some gains in spite of the coronavirus pandemic and crisis between Russia and Ukraine.

“From the first summit in 2019 to now, the trade volume between Russia and Africa increased by about 60 per cent standing out about 18 billion dollars. We can say this is a significant progress.

“Specifically, after the 2019 summit, the coronavirus pandemic set in, which made it difficult if not impossible to implement most of the actions envisage in the political declaration that was issued.

“As soon as the coronavirus was going, this crisis between Russia and Ukraine also set in, which also became a major setback.

“Even if not for relations with Africa, but for the fact that the comprehensive sanctions were imposed on Russia was a major setback in the realization of the objectives of the summit.”

According to him, to some extent we can say some significant gains have been recorded.

“The other area of gain, I can tell you is where President Putin indicated that at the moment there are about 35,000 African students studying in Russia under the Russian bilateral scholarship with African countries.

“And he promised that by next year they are going to increase the number of scholars from Africa,’’ Shehu said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Amb. Abdullahi Shehu, Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation on Tuesday encouraged investors from Russian to localise the production of their goods in Nigeria.

Shehu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Moscow urged the Russian investors to explore the enormous potential in Africa, particularly Nigeria.

Speaking on the just concluded 2nd Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Summit, Shehu identified trade as one of the areas Nigeria would focus in its economic cooperation with Russia.

According to him, with the platform provided by the summit we can see that there are areas that each country can focus on.

“These include the area of trade. Almost all African countries are interested in trading with Russia. But the point that the Nigerian delegation made is that trade is good but investment and financing are better.

“It is so because under the current geopolitical situation, it is hard to buy and sell and transport goods from Russia to Africa because the logistic chains have been affected by the sanctions.

“Therefore, the best thing to do is to encourage Russia to understand the African market.

“They should explore the possibilities of investment in Nigeria and take advantage of its huge market and localise the production of their goods in Nigeria,” he said.

The Ambassador emphasised that there was a convergence of needs and opportunities in Africa, particularly in Nigeria.

“The needs are there and the Russian companies have the opportunities to invest in ICT, food production, energy and mining and other sectors.

“So, this is why Nigeria came with a vision to see that they sensitise the Russian companies with respect to graduating from trading to investment.

“And this cooperation is in vast areas with other African countries,” he said.

Shehu, who described the summit as a success, said that it did not only deepen the bilateral relations between Russia and African countries but it also fostered continental cooperation.

“So, now we believe that a platform for strategic partnership has been created,” he said.

NAN reports that the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum 2023 which held on July 27 and July 28 in St. Petersburg recorded the participation of 17 Heads of State and over 15 African countries represented.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

An economic expert, Mr Yusha’u Aliyu, says that Nigerians are expecting functional refineries to cushion the effects of subsidy removal on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as fuel.

Aliyu said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, in reaction to President Bola Tinubu’s live broadcast on Monday, on the country’s economic situation.

NAN reports that Nigerians have been faced with hardship and sufferings occasioned by the removal of subsidy on PMS by the current administration, while the country’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna are yet to begin operation.

Aliyu said that functional refineries would have solved all the contending issues surrounding the general inefficiency of the oil sector, but on the contrary, nothing of such was mentioned.

“The president was technical on inflation, even though it is the most disturbing factor militating against targeted prosperity.

“The best time for the president to intervene is now.

“Revisiting the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) importers window will guarantee a temporary stability of PMS pricing and moderation of inflationary trends,” he said.

Aliyu expressed regrets on the president’s remarks on economic issues like subsidy, palliative, preferential exchange rate system among others, noting that they were the most disturbing in recent times.

He, however, said that the simple terms required should have been functional refineries for lasting solution.

It would be recalled that fuel was sold at N195 per litre before the deregulation but swiftly rose to N540 per litre shortly after the removal of subsidy which affected Nigeria’s economic situation.

In July, fuel pump price was further increased from N540 per litre to N617 per litre and the increment was attributed to market realities.

Hence goods and services skyrocketed as nothing was on ground to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

Transportation fares also increased astronomically as motorists complained bitterly about the situation after seeing fuel worth N20,000 lasting only for a few days.

The Federal Government and labour unions engagement on implementation framework to cushion the effect is yet to be actualised but the citizens living conditions are becoming worse which have necessitated the current protest by the unions.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Angolan diplomat, Azevedo Xavier Francisco,recently appointed as Ambassador to Argentina, last Tuesday handed over his credentials to President Alberto Fernandes.

According to a note ANGOP has had access to, the ceremony took place at the Casa Rosada which is the office of the president, in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital.

After the meeting, the Angolan diplomat visited the Plaza San Martín Square situated in Buenos Aires, where he laid a wreath at the General monument.

Besides Argentina, Azevedo Xavier Francisco will also represent Angola in other countries of the same Latin America region, namely Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

The diplomat has a degree in Law, with a Masters in International Relations.

He was the ambassador of Angola to the Republic of Zambia from 2019 to 2023 and became Angola´s fifth ambassador to Argentina, replacing Fidelino Pelinganga.

The ambassador´s wife Tânia Patrícia Francisco, officials from the Angolan Embassy and members of the Angolan community in Argentina attended the ceremony.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

Mozambican ambassador Osvalda Joana has considered Angola’s experience in mediation and resolution to the conflict crucial for the country’s presidency in SADC.

The diplomat made the statement to Television Girassol, ahead of the 43rd Summit of Heads of States and Governments of the Community for the Development of Southern Africa (SADC).

The Summit will take place on August 7-17 in Luanda, during which, Angola will take over a one-year term at the top job of the organisation.

“We all know that President João Lourenço was elected champion of peace, precisely because of the action he has taken in search of peace in the region”, said the ambassador.

She added that the Angolan presidency will have, among others, the challenge of peace which, in the view of the Mozambican ambassador, will be successful.

The diplomat’s statement comes in the wake of the engagement of the Angolan President in the peace and development of his country and the region.

One of SADC’s major goals is to make the region industrialised by 2063, according to the organisation’s Strategy and Roadmap, approved by the Heads of State and Government, in April 2015, for the period 2015-2063.

The objective of the strategy is to promote sustainable economic growth and development, which ultimately contribute to the alleviation and eradication of poverty and the creation of better living conditions for the region’s citizens.

SADC expects to raise the region’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate from 4 percent per year to a minimum of 7 percent, double the percentage of value added by manufacturing industry, including the share of industry-related services in GDP to 30 percent by 2030 and raise it to 40 percent by 2050.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is an inter-governmental organisation created in 1992 and dedicated to socio-economic cooperation and integration, as well as cooperation in political and security matters.

The organisation includes Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has announced that the use of national identity cards as travel documents between Namibia and Botswana has been extended to three additional border posts.

The two countries signed a Memorandum of Agreement and launched the use of national ID cards as travel documents for the citizens of both countries at the Trans-Kalahari/Mamuno Border Post in February this year.

The ministry in a media statement on Tuesday announced that ID cards can also be used at the Ngoma, Impalila Island and Mohembo border posts with immediate effect.

“To use the national identity card as travel document to Botswana, Namibians are advised to apply for the new-look ID, launched by the ministry in October 2021,” the ministry’s Executive Director, Etienne Maritz was quoted as saying in the statement.

The new-look ID features a quick response code and a machine-readable zone, which have replaced the fingerprint and the previous ID cards. The new format complies with international best practice recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The ministry noted that the use of ID cards as travel documents will make border crossing easier, especially for border residents. For now the national ID can only be used as a travel document to visit Botswana, it added.

Source: NAMPA

Gobabis Constituency Councillor, Augustinus Tebele, has criticised the government for how it handles the national drought relief initiative.

In an interview with Nampa recently, Tebele said the government did not consult before they came up with ways to help farmers in times of natural disasters like drought.

“Whenever we get a disaster of this calibre, it requires people not to stand up from Windhoek, run into the region and do what they call assessment or sampling a certain area which does not talk to the real conditions on the ground,” he said.

“They decide on the criteria without consultation with relevant affected communities, for me such things do not bring solutions, that is oppression because our people do not have a choice but to accept whatever they are given,” he slammed.

Furthermore, Tebele indicated that most of the farmers in his constituency do not benefit from most of the subsidies given by Government, because they are categorised as semi-commercial farmers and not communal farmers as many of them are from the resettlement farms in the region.

According to Tebele, resettlement farmers are left out of this project because they are believed to be financially able, which he said is not the case.

“The government only looks at transporting the livestock when farmers want to lease or take their livestock and the livestock marketing incentives where the price of this livestock is even very low, and apparently this will be between N.dollars 300 and 500 as a marketing incentive given to farmers,” he said.

“How can you sell a lot of livestock in this regard if the prices are very low, it is like really you are throwing your economy in the dustbin,” he continued.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Jona Musheko responding to Tebele’s comments, said that the ministry understand the claims by the councillor, but they are working with the budget allocated to them from the Office of the Prime Minister.

Musheko said the ministry is aware of what the farmers are going through and that what is given is not sufficient, but they are trying their best at least to assist farmers where they can, with the little budget allocated.

Source: NAMPA