The NAFDAC Head of Investigation and Enforcement, Federal Taskforce, Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, also said the agency would work to ensure that fake cosmetics and other counterfeit products were completely wiped out of the country.
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NHITE strengthens partnership with NBRRI on improving quality of road construction
By Matthew Denis
The Nigerian Highway Institution and Transportation Engineers ( NHITE) and Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute have concluded plans to collaborate in strengthening the quality of road construction in the country.
The National Chairman of NHITE, Engr. Hassan Saidu made the disclosure in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the Director General of Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute ( NBRRI), Prof. Samson Duna in Abuja yesterday
The Chairman said, “We are here to further strengthen our collaboration with NBRRI in terms of handling local and international training, technical visits to project sites, career talks to schools between our team and NBRRI team.”
Engr. Saidu explained that they are also planning to implement some of the research works they had together with the institute.
He stated, “Our coming here is to emphasise some of these things we have been doing together and see to fruitution the research works in the nearest future.
“We are proud of our collaboration with NBRRI, especially through local and international training and we are also trying to carry out some of the research work that has been carried out by this great organisation. In fact, our coming here is to emphasise some of these things that we have been doing and ensure they come to fruition and make the work of research be seen by everybody in this country.
“Even now, in terms of training we are planning a workshop to discuss rigid and flexible pavement design. It is an informational workshop and we are ready to educate the public on that.
“We have embarked on various technical visits to Bodo-Bonny road and see the type of concrete construction in various parts of the country.”
Responding, the Director General of Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute ( NBRRI), Prof. Samson Duna said, “What we do basically is to conduct research in the area of building our roads. Anything that affects building, anything that affects roads is part of our mandate and we always do that. Bringing out recommendations on the best way to design our roads, on the best material to be used for buildings and just to mention a few.
“Today we are lucky because our agency hosted NHITE, a professional body, a body responsible for routes and transportation in Nigeria. We discussed a lot of things that have to do with common interests which include one training where we can have joint programs together.”
Prof. Duna revealed, “We look at how to have training together and you know, when you train somebody you are adding more knowledge to him. It’s more like a capacity building. So basically we agreed that we are going to go into training together.
“We are going to visit infrastructural construction where they are constructing roads, especially waterlock areas, Where they are constructing bridges we will go together to share ideas that have to do with how to improve the infrastructure under construction.
“Another area that we do is that we agree together that we are going to use laboratory equipment so that we utilise the best way to use the materials. When you use laboratory equipment, you are going to test the quality of materials and at the end you come up with a material that meets the standard.”
According to the DG, “One reason why our roads are failing is that we are using inferior materials that were not tested.”
He stressed, “NBRRI has one of the best laboratories in the country. For now, there is no institution, there is no research agency that can best talk about laboratories in civil engineering equipment like that of NBRRI.
“NBRRI has imported quite a lot of equipment within the past three years, so that is why we are extending hand of fellowship with NHITE to partner and utilise this material to construct our roads and if standard materials are used, our road will be longlasting, our road will be durable and will have low maintenanced.”
The DG revealed that, “One of the institute’s findings is that they were able to carry out a lot of research or studies on roads that were constructed like the Enugu-Port Harcourt road, Bauchi-Gombe road, and Bauchi Kano road.
“We did a lot of road research and part of what we had discovered basically is that low quality material was used during the construction. The process of construction was not adhered to. The quality of raw material used, even the lattice used for the road construction was not there. The level of compaction was not adhered to. The drainages have failed.
“And the other thing, how to conclude the issue of maintenance. Every structure needs to be maintained when there is a small pothole on the road. If we don’t maintain it by tomorrow, it becomes two or three times and that’s part of the bedrock and so on and so forth.”
Prof. Duna revealed that the institute will be hosting a programme this year where professionals are coming from abroad and professionals in Nigeria.
He said, “We intend to carry out a comprehensive training together and this training is holistic. This training will be practically oriented. We use our equipment in the lab to produce materials and we intend to test the material in the field. So you can see it’s a training that does not end on paper. It will end with a practical demonstration.”
He called the leadership of NHITE to task their members to conduct road research projects that will be beneficial to the entire country as NBRRI will be ready to sponsor such work 100 percent after vetting its worthiness to the society.
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Invoke executive order for state, LG police, Afenifere tells Tinubu
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, on Saturday, urged President Bola Tinubu to invoke an Executive Order for the establishment of state and local government Police.
Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi,in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, also called for the erection of close-circuit television sets and deployment of modern technology for security purposes in strategic locations to end insecurity.
Ajayi said, “There are indications that Tinubu is desirous of putting an end to this deleterious menace. Towards the end of January this year, he approved the procurement of digital tracking tools to enhance the apprehension of bandits, terrorists and armed robbers.
“On Monday, April 22, this year, he used the occasion of addressing participants at the African Counter-Terrorism Summit which opened on that day in Abuja to assure everyone of his government’s readiness to ensure greater security. Unfortunately, recent happenings have not shown that the President’s desire in this respect is being worked upon.
“President Tinubu should get state and local government police off the ground immediately through the invocation of an Executive Order while the process of amending the Constitution continues.
“Close circuit television sets, deployment of modern technology for security purposes including drones must be effected immediately.”
He explained that the statement was motivated by the recent reports of banditry and kidnapping in Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Oyo, Kogi, Zamfara and Niger States, respectively which made a research organization declare Nigeria as one of the top nations where kidnap ranks highest globally.
Ajayi noted that Fulani herders and farmers’ clashes kept occurring in Osun, Ondo and Oyo State; Otu, Igbeti and Alaga in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State were the latest victims.
The Afenifere spokesperson also said, “In order to end insecurity, enhance people’s welfare and ensure the sustenance of Nigeria as one of the top investment destinations in Africa as desired by the government, there is the urgent need by the Federal Government and security agencies to be more innovative and decisive.”
He lamented that banditry, including armed robbery, kidnapping was still occurring on South-West roads such as Lagos-Ibadan, Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode; Akure-Ilesa-Ibadan; Ore-Ijebu Ode-Lagos, Ikirun-Osogbo-Ilesa; Lokoja-Abuja, Owo-Benin and Ibadan-Iseyin-Saki.
“Latest reports have it that on Monday, May 13 instant, eight cocoa farmers were kidnapped at Marindoti Cocoa Farmers’ settlement in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State. Three students of Millicent Secondary School in the same area on their way to write their Senior Secondary School Examination, were also kidnapped at the same time.
“A sum of N31 million was reportedly paid to ransom three people who were kidnapped at Longe village on Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road last week Sunday. On Thursday, May 16, one Seliat Adeniji (nee Raji) was kidnapped in her Ebedi home in Iseyin, Oyo State. Her guard was killed in the process.
“Hon Bello Hassan representing Zurmi/Shinkafi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives last Tuesday claimed that terrorists have sacked about 50 communities and abducted over 500 people in his area of Zamfara State as bandits overran Zurmi, the second most populous town in the state killing palace officers as well as policemen.”
To put a serious check on all these, the Afenifere spokesman said that there was an urgent need to dig deep into the roots of the menace and to be decisive in applying the necessary measures.
News
NAFDAC shuts cosmetic shops in Lagos, seizes counterfeit products
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has shut three shops and raided others during a clampdown on the sale of unregistered “Dr. Teal’s” brand of cosmetics in Lagos State.
The agency disclosed this in a post on its X handle on Saturday, stating that the action came after a complaint from the trademark holder.
The statement read, “NAFDAC has shut down three cosmetics shops and raided others, targeting the sale of unregistered ‘Dr. Teal’s’ brand cosmetics. This action follows a complaint from the trademark holder regarding potential counterfeit products.
“Two suspected shops along Excellent Line at the Trade Fair Complex were targeted, resulting in sealed shops and invitation letters issued to attendants.”
It added that another development unfolded at Okas Global Link Limited where NAFDAC confiscated over 200 cartons of various Dr. Teal’s products and other unregistered cosmetics, suspecting them to be the source of distribution.
A shop identified as Cubana Stores at Phil Hallmark Plaza was also reported to have been sealed for stocking and selling the moisturising body and bath products of the alleged unregistered Dr. Teal’s brand.
NAFDAC added that according to its regulations, shop owners found guilty of selling unregistered products face penalties of up to ₦5m fine.
It said shop owners were also being questioned as part of ongoing investigations.
In the statement, the agency emphasised the health risks associated with fake cosmetics, stating the potential dangers of using products containing harmful substances.
News
Traders, soldiers clash at Banex Plaza in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed intelligence officers to Banex – an electronics and telecommunications gadgets market, in Abuja following a conflict that ensued between soldiers and some traders on Saturday.
A viral video seen by our correspondent on X on Saturday showed a multitude of civilians overpowering some soldiers during a free-for-all fight at Banex.
The Defence Headquarters, and the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments as of press time.
Meanwhile, a trader who simply identified himself as Abdul, told our correspondent on Saturday that the conflict ensued over the sale of a mobile phone.
“There’s a problem at Banex now. Some soldiers came to complain about a phone, and during an argument with the traders, a fight ensued,” Abdul simply revealed.
When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, Benett Igweh has deployed officers of the FCT Intelligence Response Team to the scene of the incident.
“The CP has deployed the Intelligence Response Team to the scene,” Adeh confirmed.
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