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No vaccine will be brought to Nigeria without certification – FG
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has declared that no vaccine would be brought to Nigeria unless certified safe and effective.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, made the assertion in at a national sensitisation programme on COVID-19 vaccines for Muslim scholars and Imams in Nigeria in Wednesday in Abuja
The programme was organised by the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.
Shuaib disclosed that the agency was working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the regulatory agency meant to certify the safe use of the vaccines.
“I want to assure you that no vaccine will be brought to Nigeria unless it has been certified safe and effective for use.
“We are working with NAFDAC, the regulatory agency that will certify these vaccines are safe.
“We will rather have no vaccine in Nigeria than to bring a bad vaccine to Nigeria,” he said.
According to the executive secretary, the agency is working with both Muslim and Christian faithful through the processes of receiving and delivering the vaccines to the communities.
“The NSCIA will be with us just like we have our Christian brothers also with us in all conversations around the vaccine,” he said.
The agency, Shuaib said, was working hard to make sure that it effectively communicated on how the vaccine works and why people should take it.
“We also want to listen to the concerns of Nigeria, understand what those concerns are and help them get better understanding of how vaccine works,” he said.
Earlier, the Sultan of Sokoto, who reiterated that COVID-19 was real, urged Nigerians to abide by all the established COVID-19 protocols to avoid contracting the virus.
The Sultan, who is also the President-General of NSCIA, urged Muslim scholars and Imams to intensify efforts at educating their followers.
According to him, followers are to be educated on the risk factors associated with COVID-19 and the importance of accepting the vaccine.
Meanwhile, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, Secretary-General of NSCIA, noted that Muslim scholars and Imams, more than other stakeholders, play very critical roles in shaping the thoughts and practice of the Muslim Ummah.
“We hope to leverage on your immense goodwill; reliable, tested and trusted influence on the populace, built over the years, to sensitise and promote vaccines acceptability among the Muslim Ummah across the country,” he said.
The programme had in attendance the Emir of Keffi, Dr Shehu Yamusa III and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar.
The FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, represented by Dr Mohammed Kawu, acting Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat was also present.
By Matthew Denis
The Federal Ministry of Works has terminated contract numbers 6,136, 6,137 and 6,138 with Mothercat Ltd, Dantata & Sawoe Construction Ltd and RCC Ltd, respectively.
The projects affected by the termination are the dualisation of Obajana – Benin road, section II (Okene – Auchi) in Kogi/Edo State; the dualisation of Obajana – Benin road, section III (Auchi – Ehor) in Edo State and the dualisation of Obajana – Benin road section IV (Ehor – Benin) in Edo State.
This was contained in a statement released by Orji Uchenna Orji, Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Works on Monday.
According to the government, the termination became necessary in view of the alleged inordinate delay by the affected companies in job performance and their failure, neglect and refusal to fulfil their contractual obligations as required by the Standard Conditions of Contract.
Orji stated that this had affected the timely completion of the projects and thus resulted in the expiration of the contracts by effluxion of time.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Ogbe has stated that the board remains on track to achieve its target of achieving 70 percent local participation in the oil and gas industry by 2027.
The NCDMB ES made this known yesterday at the Nigerian Oil and Gas conference (NOG) holding in Abuja.
Engr. Ogbe, speaking at the opening of the Nigerian Content Seminar, said jobs in the industry can only be out-sourced when there was no in-country capacity.
He said the board would continue its stringent monitoring of projects in the country to ensure that where local capacity exists, Nigeria companies were given the opportunity to bid for the jobs.
He stressed that the “board will only approve local content plans that consist of contractors meeting the legal definition of Nigerian companies and demonstrating the capacity to execute projects within Nigeria.”
He added the NCDMB would continue to ensure that all services provided in the industry “generate values within the country.”
On his part, the Director, project Certification and Authorisation, NCDMB, Engr. Abayomi Bamidele said a lot of progress has been made in growing local capacity in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, disclosing there are currently over 13,000 indigenous oil service firms registered by the board and over 120 operators registered also.
The Federal Government has announced that the Governing Councils of Federal universities, polytechnics, and other tertiary institutions will be inaugurated on July 4, 2024. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the composition of the newly constituted governing councils, stating that the list is dominated by retired politicians rather than experts in academia or relevant fields.
ASUU’s national President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, expressed concerns over the trend in the appointment process, emphasising that the union demanded the reinstatement of the ‘illegally’ dissolved governing councils, not the constitution of new ones.
Despite ASUU’s ultimatum, the Federal Government has proceeded with the inauguration, which is expected to take place on July 4.
President Bola Tinubu approved the reconstitution of the Governing Councils and Boards of federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, with 560 individuals appointed to the governing councils and boards of Federal Government-owned tertiary institutions.
The approval was given for the effective management of Nigerian tertiary institutions across the country.
It was gathered that the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Aisha Maikudi, announced the inauguration date during her acceptance speech on Monday, while assuming the institution’s affairs.
A total of 560 individuals were appointed to the governing councils and boards of Federal Government-owned tertiary institutions.
For the University of Ibadan, the President appointed Chief Bisi Akande as the Chairman of the governing council. The board members are Alexander Ajipe, Nelson Alapa, Ifeoma Nwankwo, and Prof. Emmanuel Alo.
Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) was appointed as the Chairman of the governing council of the University of Lagos. The council members are Bello Kumo, Prof. Idowu Mark, Niyi Akande, and Bola Njoku.
Isa Yuguda chairs the board of the National Open University. The council members are Goddy Etta, Yomi Balogun, Deborah Apah, and Hingah Biem.
Siyan Oyeweso has been named as the chairperson of the governing council of Obafemi Awolowo University. Joining him are Edward Sarki, Joseph Abaagu, Wahaab Owokoniran, and Abubakar Kachaalla, who have been appointed as council members.
Additionally, Adebayo Shittu, Muiz Banire, and Senator Florence Ita Giwa have been appointed as chairpersons of the governing boards for David Umahi University of Medicine in Ebonyi State, Federal University of Transportation in Katsina State, and Federal Polytechnic in Ugep, Cross River State, respectively, among others.
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