LISTERIOSIS OUTBREAK: WHO WARNS NIGERIA, 15 OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Listeriosis

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday warned Nigeria and 15 other African countries of a listeriosis outbreak that started in South Africa in 2017, confirming its support for their preparedness and response to the disease.

The other African countries are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Listeriosis is a bacterial infection most commonly caused by Listeria monocytogenes.

It can cause severe illness, including severe sepsis, meningitis, or encephalitis, sometimes resulting in lifelong harm and even death.

Listeria is ubiquitous and is primarily transmitted via the oral route after ingestion of contaminated food products

According to WHO numbers, nearly 200 South Africans have died since January 2017 as a result of contaminated ready-to-eat meat products that are widely consumed in the country and may also have been exported to two West African countries and 14 members of the South African Development Community.

South African health authorities recently declared the source of the outbreak as a factory in Polokwane, in the country’s northeast.

This prompted a national and international recall of the food products.

However, in light of the potentially long incubation period of listeriosis and the challenges relating to large scale nationwide recall processes, further cases are likely to occur.

Whole genome sequencing of isolated strains of the Listeria bacteria was used to make the link between the contaminated products, the producing company and strains of Listeria isolated from the patients.

The WHO is currently supporting further genome sequencing to determine which cases are linked to this on-going outbreak.

In March, South Africa hosted a meeting of SADC health ministers to address regional preparedness and response to listeriosis.

The ministers committed to regional collaboration, exchanging information and strengthening national food safety systems in line with international standards.

The WHO, however, does not currently recommend any trade related measures in relation to the current outbreak of listeriosis in South Africa, other than the recall of products identified as sources of infection.

The UN health agency is working with the 16 priority countries to improve their ability to prepare for, detect and respond to potential outbreaks.

Immediate steps include increasing awareness on listeriosis, enhancing active surveillance and laboratory diagnosis, ensuring readiness of Rapid Response Teams, and strengthening coordination and contingency planning. Experts have been deployed to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland to support these efforts.

“This outbreak is a wake-up call for countries in the region to strengthen their national food safety and disease surveillance systems,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa.

2018 UTME: JAMB CONFIRMS RELEASE OF RESULTS, HERE'S HOW TO CHECK

YES! THE 2018 UTME results are out and here's everything you should know about how to check your results.UTME candidates will henceforth have no reason to sit for another tests after their UTME

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB has started releasing the 2018 UTME results in batches as the final batch is expected to be released on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.

In a telephone chat with Daily Post, JAMB's Head of Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin confirmed the development saying the results can be assessed from Tuesday afternoon.

               
Fabian-Benjamin, Head of Media, JAMB

 According to Fabian, “We are not holding any press conference to make the announcement; no need for that. All those who sat for the examination are advised to check the JAMB website this afternoon. All results will be uploaded at 2 pm,” he said.

Here's how to check the result.

1.  You’re required to visit JAMB official website, www.jamb.org.ng

2. When it opens up, do check your upper right side.

3. Then insert your PIN, Serial No or Reg Number.

4. When your JAMB 2018 RESULT has been shown to you, print out the copies for further usage.

You can also watch the tutorial on how to check your UTME result in the video below.

However, in the first batch of result released on Monday, March 19, 2018, a candidate, Ibukun Oduntan, who finished from Corona Secondary School, Agbara, Ogun state emerged with the highest score of 344 in the exam.

Earlier, Aliyu Muhammad Sani Kaugama, a young boy from Jigawa state who scored 311, was celebrated on Facebook for purportedly emerging as the best candidate in the 2018 UTME. But so far, Oduntan's UTME score is the highest.

The 2018 UTME, which started on Friday, March 9, 2018, was written by over 1.6 million candidates. The exam ended on Saturday, March 17, 2018.

ADD YOUR VOICE/ SIGNATURE TO STOP THE RECURRING SOOT IN PORT HARCOURT

Hi,
I signed a petition to The Federal Government of Nigeria (Ministry of Environment) which says:

"Action must be taken against the re-ocurring soot that blankets Port-Harcourt!"

Will you sign this petition? Click here:
http://www.citizengo.org/en/158807-why-no-action-being-taken-against-re-ocurring-soot-blankets-port-harcourt?tc=wp&tcid=46406587
Thanks!​

#LATEST BBNAIJA EVICTION: ANTO EVICTED FROM THE BIG BROTHER NAIJA HOUSE

BBNAIJA 2018 EVICTEE, ANTO

Anto became the latest Housemate to receive the red card from Ebuka. After the longest BBNaija Eviction Show so far,  Anto was announced evicted. See her profile below.

FULL RÉSUMÉ OF MUNIRAT ANTOINETTE LECKY (AKA ANTO) OF BIG BROTHER NAIJA. 

Profile/ Munirat Antoinette Lecky/ Birth/ Career/ Age

Profile

           
Anto’s full name is MUNIRAT ANTOINETTE LECKY. As stated above, she is the Head of Operations, Continental Basketball League. She was born and raised in the United States. Anto came back to Nigeria for the first time at the age of 20 because of the  job. Though a male-dominated industry, Anto describes it as her “dream job”.

Meanwhile, Munirat describes herself as an “experienced Business Professional looking to enhance her skills and create an impact on the world”.

BIRTH

Antoinette was born 28 years ago in Carrboro, North Carolina. However, she currently lives in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

EDUCATION

Anto holds two Masters Degrees in Business Administration and Sports Business Management. In fact, she achieved this between 2011 and 2013 at the University of Central Florida.

Lecky also holds a Bachelors Degree in Exercise and Sport Science and Administration. 
She graduated in 2011 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Anto also completed a  Business Management Graduate Program at DeVos Sports in 2013.

PROFESSIONAL  CAREER

 'ANTO' possesses a rather intimidating C.V. Rising from the nadir, she is obviously at the peak of her career. She presently heads Basketball Operations at Africa’s leading sports and entertainment company, CBL. 

She has previously worked with the American National Basketball Association and Paragon Marketing.

SUMMARY OF ANTO’s C.V

HEAD OF OPERATIONS: 
Continental Basketball League 
May 2016 – Present.

HEAD, SPONSORSHIP AND EVENTS:
Q Sports
Oct 2014 – Jun 2015

LEAD CONSULTING MEMBER: 
MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney Jul 2012 – Dec 2012

CO-COORDINATOR: 
Hope for Stanley Alliance 
Jan 2012 – Dec 2012

GRADUATE ASSISTANT: 
The Institute of Diversity and Ethics in Sport: Aug 2011 – Dec 2012

CONSULTING TEAM MEMBER: 
Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard 
Mar 2012 – May 2012

WILL CALL REPRESENTATIVE: 
Orlando Magic 
Jan 2012 – Apr 2012

HOSPITALITY ASSISTANT: 
Florida Citrus Sports 
Dec 2011 – Jan 2012

AFRICAN STUDIES  CENTRE PROGRAMME ASSISTANT: 
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Sep 2008 - May 2011

TICKET OFFICE INTERN: 
University of North Carolina  
Sep 2010 – Mar 2011

MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS INTERN : Turner Broadcasting System, INC 
Jun 2010 – Aug 2010

MARKETING COMMUNICATION INTERN: University of North Carolina
Sep 2009 – May 2010

UNCAA SPORT MARKETING VOLUNTEER – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2009 – 2010

FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP INTERN  
Atlantic Coast Conference
Nov 2009 – Dec 2009

ANTO'S INTERESTS

Munirat has never hidden the fact that she has no special talent that she knows of. She however identified sports and entertainment as her key interests. Meanwhile, due to the environment she found herself, she frequents the Beach. Her other hobbies include dancing and cooking.

POLITICAL VIEWS AND CRIMINAL RECORDS

Though currently inactive, Anto identifies with the Democratic Party. However, there are indications that Munirat has not had a perfect criminal record. She may have been arrested a number of times. Also, there are allegations of her using many aliases, at various times. This raises a lot of concern.

KEBBI STATE GOVERNMENT SPONSORS MASS MARRIAGE FOR WIDOWS AND DIVORCEES: MARRIES OFF 100 WIDOWS, DIVORCEES IN MASS MARRIAGE

          Governor Abubakr Bagudu of Kebbi State.

Reports reaching our news desk from Kebbi State has it that the State Government on Saturday married off 100 widows and divorcees in a mass wedding held in the palace of Emir of Argungu, Samila Mera.

The marriages were arranged by the state and the Argungu Local Government to reduce the number of women, widowed or divorced, left to fend for themselves and their children.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kebbi state government paid N20,000 “kayandaki” for the brides, with gifts of a collection of brass; enamel bowls; decorative cups and saucers; blankets and bed sheets which are symbol of their married status.

They also gave N30,000 to the brides to start their entrepreneurial businesses.

It was also reported that the Kebbi State government donated furniture and kitchen utensils worth N150,000 to each couple, while the Commissioner for Justice, Hajiya Ramatu Gulma, also donated one wrapper to each of the couples.

Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State commended the efforts of the emir and the local government for the initiative and urged parents to respect the marriage institution, saying it’s a way to reduce the number of single women in the society.

He called on the couples to continue to be patient and tolerant to enable them have peaceful homes, pointing out that marriage was all about endurance and patience.

“The importance of marriage cannot be over-emphasised as it will promote peace among the couples and will also enable them to get more blessings and God’s mercy,’’ the governor said.

The Emir of Argungu, in his remarks, also commended the state government and the local government for collaborating to organise the occasion in line with Islamic teaching.

“’We are trying to provide women with stable homes, financial and social security,” he said.

NIGERIA POLICE KILLS YET ANOTHER PORT HARCOURT MILITANT GENERAL, SEA PIRATE & KIDNAP KINGPIN

Suspects and recovered items on display by the Rivers State Police command to the press and public.

Operatives of the Police Intelligence Response Team have have engaged a Militant General and Sea Piracy Kingpin in a gun battle in Port Harcourt and fatally injured him as he attempted to prevent his arrest.

    
     Nigerian Police on parade

The said Militant General who was known as Prosper David, later died as a result of theis said to have masterminded the kidnapping of Mrs. Tina Bob-Manuel on the 22nd November 2017.

According to a police statement, Prosper David who initially embraced the federal government’s Amnesty programme, later derailed and formed a kidnapping gand and moved to Bayelsa state.

Giving detailed information about the operation, the police said, “In follow up to the kidnapping of Mrs Tina Bob-Manuel, on 21 February 2018 at about 1045am, IRT operatives traced the kingpin, one Prosper David a “Militant General who embraced the federal Government Amnesty program but Later formed a kidnapping gang, to Bayelsa State were he was fatally injured during gun battle with operatives of the IGP-Intelligence Response Team IRT deployed to Port-Harcourt by IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris to fight kidnapping and other violent crimes.

“IRT operatives have been on his trail for long time after he masterminded the kidnap of Mrs Tina Bob-Manuel on 22nd November 2017 in her shop located at No.107 Nvuigwe Road Woji Port-Harcourt and several other kidnappings.

“Suspect went underground after the collection of ransom in two installments and when he sensed that the Police are closing in on him, he dropped his contact number known to his personal driver that was earlier arrested by the Police and relocated his family from Victory Estate Azikoro, Yenagoa in December 2017 to the Creek, all in a bid to avoid arrest.

“After about 90-days of painstaking intelligence gathering with Technical Assistance Support from TIU, suspect was tracked to Asiri area of Yenagoa Bayelsa state to his new rented apartment.

“On sighting the operatives, he ran into his apartment ceiling from where he engaged the operatives but was neutralized and fatally injured.

“Suspects arrested for the kidnappings are, Johnson Denis driver to the kidnap kingpin and the Militant General. Exhibit recovered incude one of the victims phone.

Prosper David (Deceased) kidnap and Sea Piracy Kingpin and “Militant General”.

“Exhibits recovered from him include: One AK47 Riffle, 1 magazine, 26 rounds of live ammunition, 4 expended Ammunition and a Nokia phone belonging to his kidnap victim with which ransom negotiation was done.

Benjamin Johnson and Anthony Joshua are 2 more gang members of the Port Harcourt kidnap Kingpin who were also arrested between 21/2/18 and 14/3/18.

The IRT added that serious efforts are in top gear to arrest other gang members and recovery of more arms.

2018 FIFA WC: GERNOT RHOR LISTS SOME EAGLES WITH AUTOMATIC SHIRTS

           
Gernot Rhor in pix

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr, has listed some national team players who will automatically make his team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament in Russia.

According to the tactician, they include captain John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, Balogun and William Troost-Ekong etc.

“We have a few very experienced players, such as our captain John Obi Mikel (Tianjin Teda, China). Our two central defenders William Troost-Ekong (Bursaspor, Turkey) and Leon Balogun (Mainz, Germany) are also very important to us,” the Eagles head coach said in an interview.

“We have players such as Victor Moses (Chelsea, England) and Alex Iwobi (Arsenal, England) – they are also very important for us.

“We have many young players, and everyone has a role to play in our team.

“But the most important leaders are our captain Mikel, the vice-captain Ogenyi Onazi, and Ahmed Musa also”, he concluded.

DRUG PEDDLING: NDLEA RAISES ALARM OVER USE OF UNDER-AGED STREET CHILDREN

          
NDLEA operatives

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, has raised alarm over the use of under-aged street children in the sale of hard drugs in the state.

Mrs Mutiat Okuwobi, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, raised the alarm in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Ibadan.

Okuwobi said the trend had posed very serious danger to the state and called on parents not to allow their children turn into street urchins.

“In some areas you will find that street children are used to perpetrate sales of hard drugs; most of these children are under-aged.

“They don’t really start out by using the drugs but they help in selling it, especially marijuana or cannabis sativa. These children are supposed to be in school,” she said.

Okuwobi also decried the high rate of use of drugs among adults and adolescents in the state.

“The use of tramadol and cough syrup is trendy now; these are conventional drugs people use. It is mostly abused by youths. Some children also abuse these drugs.

“Children that take these drugs must have probably collected them from older persons as they cannot on their own buy them,” he said.

The PRO further said that few children had been arrested along with some youths abusing the conventional drugs in some bad joints.

She also said there had been some reported cases of secondary school students in the state who indulge in hard drugs.

“We have some secondary schools around our command office at Onireke where students are involved in hard drugs and the authorities do call us for intervention.

“We have counseled some students and there is the need for continuous sensitisation among the students and that is what we do generally to stop the menace.” Okuwobi said.

HOUSE OF REPS TO PROBE ALLEGED IMPORTATION OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT BY GOV. YAHAYA BELLO

                                
Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Yahaya Bello

The House of Representatives says it will investigate the alleged importation of arms, ammunition and military equipment by Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

This followed a matter of urgent public importance by Rep. Sunday Karimi (Kogi-PDP), who noted that the House must act fast to save the lives of ordinary citizens in the state.

Karimi also expressed worry that the Nigeria Customs had done little or nothing about the said subject matter.

“Instead of the Nigeria Custom Service to promptly arrest the importer of the treasonable act of importing military hardware and items into the country, it only requested the importer to provide End-user certificate from the National Security Adviser.

The lawmaker noted that only the military was constitutionally empowered to import such item.

“I am afraid that if the trend is allowed to continue, politicians, state governors and private citizens will start to import arms under the guise of equipping the military.

“This, in the long run, will jeopardize security and lives of innocent Nigerians,” he said.

Supporting the motion, Reps. Hassan Saleh (Benue-APC) and Nnena Elendu-Ukeje (Abia-PDP), said that the problem facing the country today had to do with security.

The lawmakers stressed the need for the executive to take the proliferation of arms in the country seriously.

The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

The House, therefore, resolved to invite the Comptroller General of Customs, Retired Col Hameed Ali to explain why it only requested end user permit.

OYEGUN’S TENURE EXTENSION WILL NOT HINDER TINUBU’S RECONCILIATION ASSIGNMENT – HON. ABDULRAZAK HAMDAS

             
Tinubu and Oyegun

A House of Representatives member, Abdulrazak Namdas, said All Progressives Congress (APC) reconciliation assignment of Sen. Bola Tinubu’s committee would not be hindered by the party’s National Working Committee’s (NWC's)tenure extension.

Namdas told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday that he was optimistic that the reconciliation committee would work amicably with people within the party’s national leadership.

“Tinubu, because of his leadership qualities has been asked to mediate and the Tinubu we know is a member of the APC; whatever issue that arises in APC, he has the capacity to resolve those issues.

“He is an elder and there is nothing he has not said. I think Tinubu will be able to work with anybody,” he said.

The lawmaker said that the recent extension of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s tenure as National Chairman of APC by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party was constitutional.

He said that NEC was guided by the rules in the party in the decision, adding that the action was lawful.

“If the NEC which comprises the National Working Committee (NWC) and all the state chapters deemed it necessary to do so, who are we to say no.

“By my understanding, if there are issues, they will be resolved. But, I think that the extension is not something wrong.”

On the recent President Muhammadu Buhari’s reinstatement of Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, who was on suspension, Namdas said it was proper.

He said that Yusuf’s recall would help in the investigation of N10 billion allegedly missing at the agency.

“We are meant to understand that the executive secretary made some revelations that led to his reinstatement.

“If something led to his suspension and later the government realised that he did the right thing, there is nothing wrong in asking him to come back.

“The only thing we have now is that there were two withdrawals from the NHIS of N10 billion that led to a motion being brought before the House.

“As far as we are concerned, this is the area we should focus on because he alleged that even when he was away, the withdrawal was made without his knowledge.

“And, by the law, the agency needs to be the one to request for that money and he does not know who requested for the money.

“If not that he is back nobody would have known who authorised it. So, it was good that he came back; at least he is now able to tell Nigerians that he was not responsible for the authorisation,’’ he said.

The lawmaker added that “if N10 billion was missing when he was suspended, who knows, somebody can also allege that his suspension was to give way for the withdrawal of the N10 billion.

“So, whichever way, until the investigation proves otherwise, I think suspension and reinstatement are normal in the service.

“Once somebody is suspended for alleged wrongdoing and he is discovered not to have done so, there is nothing wrong in reinstating him.

“But, when investigation proves that he is wrong, then he has to go", Hon. Namdas as concluded