#BringBackOurGirls Protesters Mark 140 Days of Chibok Abductions!

BringBackOurGirls protesters marked the 140th day of Chibok abduction on Monday calling Nigerians' attention to the plight of Chibok Schoolgirls abducted by extremist group Boko Haram.

The protesters who were dressed mainly in red distributed fliers and educating the public about the plight of the abducted girls stressing that the rescue of the girls is government's responsibility.

They also displayed a bounded and gagged lady to bring home to Nigerians the plight of the 219 girls still in captivity after several promises of rescue by the government.

One of the leaders of the group, Aisha Yesufu, challenged those against the protest saying "If you think we are crazy, how would you feel if one the abducted girls is your daughter?"

Some of the there protesters who shared leaflets and stickers to motorists and passers by said they wanted the government to perform its responsibility.
Source: Daily Trust

Joan Rivers Being Taken Out of Coma!

Reports says Joan Rivers is gradually being taking out of her induced coma on Sunday, Aug. 31.

According to information, the 81-year-old comedian and Fashion Police host was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital and put into an induced coma after she stopped breathing during a throat procedure on Thursday, Aug. 28.

Her daughter Melissa Rivers released a statement on Sunday, Aug. 31, saying, "We are keeping our fingers crossed."

"The waking-up process has begun and will take until Tuesday," 

"There is real concern that the part of the brain that controls motor skills may have been compromised, leaving her as either a vegetable or in a wheelchair."

A source tells US WEEKLY “She's a strong woman, people aren't giving up hope, but it's very serious right now,” the insider adds.

It was gathered that after rushing to her mom’s side, Melissa said  in a statement on Friday, Aug. 29, "My mother would be so touched by the tributes and prayers that we have received from around the world. Her condition remains serious but she is receiving the best treatment and care possible. We ask that you continue to keep her in your thoughts as we pray for her recovery."

Almost Two Years On, Is Azazi Finally Vindicated In Davies Revelation?

Reactions continued to trail the recent identifications of two Nigerians, a former military chief and an ex governor as top sponsors of the deadly terrorist boko-haram sect by Stephen Davies, a foreign hostage negotiator in Australia, allegedly hired by the Nigerian government to mediate with boko haram. 

The sponsors were identified as former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Azubuike Ihejirika and a former Bornu state governor Modu Sheriff.

General Ihejirika denied the allegations, and for some reason, appeared to concentrate his bullets on the emissary Nasir El-Rufai, accusing him of being a boko-haram Commander.

In his words "The likes of El-Rufai have been supporting Boko Haram," he said in his rebuttal. "In fact, El-Rufai and his likes are the same group of people that ensured the army did not to get the requested equipment to deal with this menace once and for all, as they used their cohorts to tell the government that procuring modern equipment were not necessary."

"When the Boko Haram operation started, supporters of the sect like El-Rufai said that there was nothing like Boko Haram and that the army was just killing innocent youths. El-Rufai said that I was re-inventing the killing of the Igbos during the Biafra war following government's determination to rid the country of terrorism."

On his part, Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), maintained that: "Any local investigation conducted by the federal government in the circumstance might be manipulated by vested political interests."

In a statement titled: 'Arrest and Prosecute Boko Haram Sponsors' Falana said "In a well-publicised televised interview in London last week, the international negotiator disclosed that a former Governor of Borno State, a former Chief of Army Staff and a former top official of the Central Bank of Nigeria have provided funds and other logistics to the nihilist body for terrorist attacks which had claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people in the country. The disclosure was backed with some detailed accounts which confirmed some information in the domain of the security forces in the country,".

Quoting the words of the Ambassador Usman Galtimari Committee on insurgency, he said it was recommended to President Jonathan that he should start the prosecution of "some politicians, who sponsored, funded and used the militia groups that later metamorphosed into Boko Haram."

Falana added "Although the White Paper was published in May 2012, the directive of the federal government has not been carried out up till now because the individuals involved are said to be connected to the presidency. However, the special envoy of the federal government has just named one of the kingpins and sponsors of the terrorist sect,".

Information reveal that Nigerian peharps might  have reached the Davis level in April 2012 when National Security Adviser, Owoeye Azazi, speaking a few months after President Jonathan's remarks, said Nigeria needed to investigate the root of the level of violence in Northeastern Nigeria [to establish] whether it had escalated because the group out of the blue became better trained, better equipped and better funded. 

He attributed the growing insecurity to what he called "undemocratic practices" by the political parties, and specifically indicting the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP).

"The issue of violence did not increase in Nigeria until when there was a declaration by the current president that he was going to contest. PDP got it wrong from the beginning. The party started by saying Mr. A can rule, and Mr. B cannot rule, according to PDP conventions, rules and regulations and not according to the constitution. That created the climate for what is happening or manifesting itself in the country... "

Unfortunately, two months after this incident, Azazi was fired, worse still he died in a helicopter accident seven months later.

Azazi's death ended any hopes of any more uncomfortable questions from within the upper echelons of power, but this revelation by Davis means that the old file ought to be re-visited. 

The alarming increase in number of Syrian refugees, a cause for global concern!

According to the United Nations refugee agency reports, Syria's intensifying refugee crisis is expected surpass a record of 3 million people, this is amid reports of horrifying conditions inside the country which include cities where populations are surrounded, people are going hungry and civilians are being indiscriminately killed.

"Almost half of all Syrians have now been forced to abandon their homes and flee for their lives. One in every eight Syrians has fled across the border, fully a million more than a year ago. A further 6.5 million are displaced within Syria. Over half of those uprooted are children," UNHCR said in a statement reportedly released on Friday in Geneva.

Reports says the UNHCR and other aid agencies states that increasing numbers of families are arriving in a shocking state, exhausted, scared and with their savings depleted. Most have been on the run for a year or more, fleeing from village to village before taking the final decision to leave.

"There are worrying signs too that the journey out of Syria is becoming tougher, with many people forced to pay bribes at armed checkpoints proliferating along the borders. Refugees crossing the desert into eastern Jordan are being forced to pay smugglers hefty sums (US$100 a head or more) to take them to safety," the statement said.

UNHCR' s recent survey said most of the refugees remain in countries neighbouring Syria, with the highest concentrations in Lebanon (1.14 million), Jordan (608,000) and Turkey (815,000). Leading to an enormous strain on their economies, infrastructure and resources. More than four in five refugees are struggling to make a living in urban areas, with 38 per cent living in sub-standard shelter.

"Syrians are now the world's largest refugee population under UNHCR care, second only in number to the decades-long Palestinian crisis. The Syria operation is now the largest in UNHCR's 64-year history," the statement said.

António Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees , said the Syrian crisis "has become the biggest humanitarian emergency of our era, yet the world is failing to meet the needs of refugees and the countries hosting them." He added that the response to the Syrian crisis had been generous, "but the bitter truth is that it falls far short of what's needed."

A recent upsurge in fighting appears to be worsening an already desperate situation. As frontlines shift, new areas are emptying out. Recent arrivals to Jordan, for example, are running from attacks in the areas of Raqaa and Aleppo.

UNHCR is also deeply concerned for the well-being of several hundred Syrians trapped inside the Al Obaidy refugee camp in Al Qa'im, Iraq, after UN agencies and international NGOs were forced to abandon their offices and warehouses. UNHCR says national partners are continuing to provide supplies and maintenance, but the situation is volatile.

Many newly arriving refugees say they only left Syria as a last resort. A growing number, including more than half of those coming to Lebanon, have moved at least once before fleeing, and one in 10 have moved more than three times. One woman reportedly told UNHCR she had moved 20 times before crossing into Lebanon.

In addition to worsening security, the latest refugee arrivals report increasing difficulty in finding work; rocketing food and commodity prices; and failing services. A packet of bread in one village near the city of Idlib costs ten times more this year than last, according to a new arrival in Jordan.

The UNHCR statement said a growing share of new arrivals – up to 15 per cent in Jordan, for example –were suffering from long-term medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and left because they were no longer able to get adequate health care at home.

UNHCR is working with 150 other agencies and aid groups, together with the governments of neighbouring countries, to help refugees pay their rent and get food, education and medical care, as well as giving basic goods such as tents, mattresses and plastic sheeting.

In the past year alone, 1.7 million refugees received food aid, 350,000 children were enrolled in school, and shelter in camps was provided for more than 400,000 refugees. Since the beginning of the crisis in March 2011, UNHCR has registered refugees faster than at any time in its history.

Information revealed that donors have contributed more than US$4.1 billion to successive regional response plans since 2012. However more than US$2 billion more is needed by the end of this year to meet the urgent needs of refugees. Most urgently, more than 2.4 million people are expected to need support in the coming weeks to prepare for winter.

Source: UN Refugee Agency

Lagos Church Takes Measures To Curb Ebola Spread!

As the Federal Ministry of Health and the various state governments, especially the Lagos State Government embarks on measures to check the spread of Ebola epidemic in Nigeria...



...one of such measures being the compulsory use of hand sanitizers in public places, to prevent the virus being contacted from such vulnerable environments. 

Health Minister: Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu

Lagos State Gov. Raji Fashola

The House On The Rock -Lagos with its preventive measures, is one church that have in accordance with her excellence pace setter custom, proved that this epidemic can be curtailed and eradicated, when all hands (government and private bodies) are on deck. 

Our correspondent recall a thought provoking conversation between two individuals in an office he visited penultimate week in Victorian Island- Lagos.

The conversation below:
1st man: Man this ebola outbreak nah wahooo, every where you go now, nah so dem go wan take sanitizer baff you, but it is really bringing out a health conscious culture in us.
2nd man: No be small thing, if we continue this way, in no time, the epidemic will be effectively eradicated.
1st man: Even for my church (HOTR) they positioned hand - sanitizers at strategic entrance points, so you can't get into the church without first sanitizing your hands. As a way of ensuring the disease does not spread through the church.
2nd man: Wao, that is a good one, really commendable.... i think all churches should do that, no be for my church..... where them go tell you 'it's not your portion'.....(signs) 

Lol "it's not your potion"....well....in our snoopy manner, RV couldn't  help but go to the church to see for ourselves; what was witnessed we must confess blew our minds....

Hand sanitizers strategically positioned on all entrance into the building, alongside volunteer health workers and ushers making sure that worshipers make use of the sanitizers as they enter the hall ways..... a measure RV thought  is worth emulating.

Photos of some places where hand sanitizers were placed in the Church lobby:

This should be one of the roles of the church and private organizations in the society, and is really commendable. 

Not just telling people "it's not your potion", while we take no practical steps to check a challenge, we have to take preventive measures....in such way, we make the society a better place.

Abacha Loot - Govt Defends Pact With Family!

The Federal Government says it withdrew the criminal charges against Mohammed Abacha in the interest of the country, just as it reiterated its determination to ensure that stolen assets stacked away in different parts of the world are recovered.

The government had opted for an out-of-court settlement with the family of the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha, against which the charges against Mohammed were withdrawn.

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF)/Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), who made the commitment in a paper titled, the Legal Profession in Nigeria at the 2014 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in Owerri, Imo State, said the criticisms that trailed the deal were in bad faith.

He also spoke on other national issues, such as efforts being made by the federal government to combat terrorism, enforcement of the Freedom of Information Act (FoI) and the Extradition Bill.

According to Adoke, the Federal Government has been active in tracing and recovery of stolen assets around the world, saying the pact reached with the Abachas led to significant recovery of assets in foreign jurisdictions. He described the deal as "a fitting testimony to the strenuous efforts being made to ensure the sufficient disgorgement of the proceeds of crime to serve as deterrence."

However, he decried the negative comments it generated from the "ill-informed" about the details of the settlement and the underlying imperatives in the national interest. He reassured that every aspect of the settlement was transparently conducted while the outcome is in the national interest.

"The settlement has received commendation across the globe and is being used as case study for stolen assets recovery. Let me use this opportunity to call on our colleagues with penchant for making unguarded and baseless statements in the media to seek information from appropriate quarters before commenting on issues."

He also defended recent request by President Goodluck Jonathan for a $1 billion loan.

"The request for the sum of $1 billion recently made to the National Assembly is to enable government to fully equip our Armed Forces for the war against terrorism and insurgency in compliance with the resolutions of the National Assembly while approving a further extension of the Proclamation of the State of Emergency in three North-Eastern states of the country.

"There is the need for Nigerians to appreciate that terrorism is a global phenomenon requiring the concerted efforts of all nations of the world. Government has accordingly sought the assistance of other countries, as well as our development partners, to effectively confront this challenge.

"Equally important is the need to forge a united front to combat the common enemy. Nigerians must remain united in the face of the threat of terrorism.

"Terrorists would rather have us divided along sectional, religious and political lines as the division would not only help their cause, but also, further diminish our efforts to collectively and effectively wage war against them."

On the FoI Act, the minister said his office and others were open to the public for the purpose of obtaining information on government business.

He said: "The Freedom of Information Act remains a potent tool in the hands of those seeking information from public institutions and members of the Bar should take advantage of it. We must discourage the pervading culture of baseless criticism for self-glorification and cheap popularity. We have also made a lot of progress in the implementation of Freedom of Information Act, 2011 (FOIA)".

Source: Guardian News

Ebola Epidemic - Socio-Economic Implications of Inadequate Human Resources for Health, and Poor Health Financing!

In a statement accompanying the new 2014 health workforce factsheet and scorecard, Rotimi Sankore Editor of Afri-Dev.Info commended the efforts of the health sectors in Ebola affected countries but cautioned that:

"A key reason why the World Health Organisation and leading health groups have warned that the epidemic will take months to bring under control and may effect up to 20,00 people is that no health crisis can be swiftly and sustainably resolved with weak health systems. Health workers are the core of every health system, but most African countries have only between 5% and 40% of numbers and required mix of health workers. In addition current levels of health financing are a fraction of required investment”

Ebola, and the ongoing challenges of HIV, Malaria, TB, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Non-Communicable Diseases, Reproductive, Maternal or Child Health will not be sustainably resolved without the necessary long term population based planning, multisectoral coordination and investment across the Education, Labour, Human development, Finance, Economic development and Health sectors."

The historical underinvestment in especially the Education sectors - including poor population based and development needs planning in many African countries - has resulted in many having just a fraction of human resources required across multiple sectors for long term sustainable development.

On How Health Worker Shortages Have Undermined Fight Against Ebola:

According to Factsheet for comparison tables on doctors, nurses & midwives and pharmacists in Ebola affected countries.

"Liberia with about 4 million people has only about 50 doctors compared to over 12,000 doctors for roughly the same population in Croatia. Sierra Leone with almost 6 million people has 136 doctors compared to over 18,000 in Denmark for roughly same population. Guinea with about 11 million people has just over 900 doctors compared to over 76,000 doctors in Cuba for about same population, and Nigeria has just under 59,000 doctors compared to 295,000 doctors in Japan which has 40 million people less than Nigeria. It is not a coincidence that Ebola has devastated Liberia and Sierra Leone which are 2 of the 5 countries globally with the lowest numbers of doctors.

Poor Health Financing has Left Most African Countries Unprepared for Ebola:

“The poor investment in overall education and human resources development; combined with poor actual per capita investment in the health sector - translates into huge differences in life expectancy between African and other countries.

Liberia invests only $18 per capita in health compared to Croatia's $818; Guinea $7 compared to Cuba's $573; Sierra Leone $13 compared to $5,563 in Denmark; and Nigeria $29 compared to Japans $3,824. Consequently and in tandem with other related factors - the difference in life expectancy between Liberia and Croatia is 16 years; between Guinea and Cuba 21 years; between Sierra Leone and Denmark 34 years; and between Nigeria and Japan 30 years.”

Disruption to Society and Economy:

With experts estimating that a one year improvement in life expectancy can result in an increase in GDP of up to 4%, the reasons for persistent economic under development become much clearer.

Ebola has with higher visibly - than other long standing but equally serious health challenges - disrupted education, farming, food production and supplies, banking, mining, manufacturing, airlines, tourism, retail markets and supply chains, with predictions for heavy economic losses in affected countries.

Emergency funding and donations are only useful for a short term response. Ebola demonstrates again like HIV before it that health is not just a responsibility of the health sector – and the long term response must involve Finance, Planning, Human, Social and Economic Development Sectors".

Women Account for Up To 75% of Cases and 60% of Mortality:

The Ebola response must take account of the special situation of women and girls, and take necessary measures to protect them. Disaggregation of case’s and mortality indicates that women tend to be disproportionately affected. Women account for 55 to 60 percent of the deceased in the current epidemic in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, according to UNICEF.“

Women also constitute a large section of the health workers and are on the frontlines of response.

Liberia’s task force on Ebola has reported that 75 percent of those who were infected or died from Ebola were women, because they are often the primary care-givers, nurses and traders within their communities. 

Women are also the traditional birth attendants, nurses and the cleaners and laundry workers in hospitals – and often have to work in less than ideal conditions.
Source:Africa-Dev