The Abuja bomb blast victims on Wednesday carried out a peaceful protest at the National Assembly to urge the Federal Government to fulfil its promises to them.
It is recalled that government had promised to foot the medical bills of the blasts which killed more than 100 people in Abuja.
The victims, who converged on the premises of the National Assembly, carried placards with different inscriptions expressing their anger, some of which read:
"It has been 10 months and nothing has been done for us; most of us still have medical challenges’’ and ``We are dying slowly, we need government support.’’
Some of the victims that they could not do follow up treatments in the hospitals.
The Coordinator of the group, Mr Arthur Vav, told NAN that they wanted the Federal Government to reopen their medical files in the hospitals for follow-up treatments.
Vav said most of the victims had undergone series of surgical operations, while some still had sharp objects lodged in their bodies that needed to be removed but could not afford the cost of treatment.
"The last bomb blast was June 25 which would be one year next month, while Nyanya already was one year April 14, since then we have been paying most of our medical bills.
"The government paid some bills for us but I strongly believe there are supposed to be a follow-ups after you have been discharged from the hospital.
"This is because when you get back to your house, you find out some sharp objects in the body and you discover you still need some medical treatment,’’ he said.
Vav said the group had written to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), the President of the Senate and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation but received no response.
He said the peaceful demonstration was to express their grievances.
"We have been neglected by the government because for one year now nothing has been done,’’ he said.
Mr Thomas Aduche, another member of the group, said they were left to fate without any support from the government.
Aduche said he paid for the last operation carried out on his neck and pleaded with the government to empower them as most of them had lost their jobs.
Two women who lost their husbands, Mrs Favour Ndubisi and Mrs Sarah Andy called on government to empower them to enable them to take care of their children.
"I am a qualified teacher but due to the lack of job I teach in private school where the salary is very small; if government will employ me, I will be happy,’’ Ndubisi said.
Mr Victor Dike, representing the Sergeant-At-Arms for the Senate, who addressed the group promised to look into their case.
Dike told NAN that the group wrote a letter to the Senate last two weeks and did not follow up to know the outcome.
"I promise to look for the solution to their problem through the letter they submitted and once we get the letter I will tell them the action they have taken on the letter and that is the normal procedure.
"They just submitted their letter two or three weeks ago and have not followed up the letter only to come for demonstration, it is not okay,’’ he said.
News24
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Video - Nigerian migrant Stephanie Samuel talks about giving birth during harrowing sea crossing
The story of the baby born aboard a navy ship captured international media attention at the end of one of the busiest weekends for sea crossings from Libya to Europe. The mother of the baby says she is glad she took the risk because her little girl will have a better life in Europe.
Largest wind power plant in West Africa about to be completed in Nigeria
The Nigerian government says a 10MW capacity wind farm is almost complete and has already begun functioning on trial basis. Situated in the Northwestern state of Katsina, the project is the first wind-based energy development in the country and the largest in West Africa.
The 10MW wind power project can provide power for over 2,200 homes, according to industry calculations. The farm is situated in Rimi village, 25 km south of Katsina City. It is made up of 37 turbines, each with a capacity of 275kW. The state government first envisioned the project, inspired by the high wind velocity in Katsina, and gained the support of the federal government. The project was funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and developed by French company Vergnet S.A.
The Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s power ministry, Godknows Igali, said the plant is 98 percent complete. He told journalists that five of the turbines in the wind farm have been successfully tested, and confirmed that the transmission line was ready. Igali added that wind energy is an integral part of the National Policy on Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency, and described the wind farm as part of several other clean energy projects being planned or executed in the country.
About 80 million people in Nigeria lack access to electricity; it is one of the key hindrances to human and economic development in Africa’s largest population and biggest economy. However, the present government has initiated several measures to remedy the energy crises. Among them is the liberalization of the power industry to inspire public private partnership in the sector. The country has also been attracting interest in the harnessing of its renewable energy sources, particularly solar energy. Last year, Gigawatt Global, announced that it was building a 100MW PV station in the north. Motir Seaspire, a US investment consortium, also signed an MoU recently with the Nigerian government to deliver up to 1,200MW of solar-powered electricity in the country by 2017.
Ventures
Related story: Video - Electricity shortage threathening Nigeria's economy
The 10MW wind power project can provide power for over 2,200 homes, according to industry calculations. The farm is situated in Rimi village, 25 km south of Katsina City. It is made up of 37 turbines, each with a capacity of 275kW. The state government first envisioned the project, inspired by the high wind velocity in Katsina, and gained the support of the federal government. The project was funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and developed by French company Vergnet S.A.
The Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s power ministry, Godknows Igali, said the plant is 98 percent complete. He told journalists that five of the turbines in the wind farm have been successfully tested, and confirmed that the transmission line was ready. Igali added that wind energy is an integral part of the National Policy on Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency, and described the wind farm as part of several other clean energy projects being planned or executed in the country.
About 80 million people in Nigeria lack access to electricity; it is one of the key hindrances to human and economic development in Africa’s largest population and biggest economy. However, the present government has initiated several measures to remedy the energy crises. Among them is the liberalization of the power industry to inspire public private partnership in the sector. The country has also been attracting interest in the harnessing of its renewable energy sources, particularly solar energy. Last year, Gigawatt Global, announced that it was building a 100MW PV station in the north. Motir Seaspire, a US investment consortium, also signed an MoU recently with the Nigerian government to deliver up to 1,200MW of solar-powered electricity in the country by 2017.
Ventures
Related story: Video - Electricity shortage threathening Nigeria's economy
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Chinese company completes power project in Nigeria
Chinese construction company Sinotec has completed a major power project in Nigeria which links the capital city, and expected to contribute immensely to the country's national grid.
The project, which included the construction of a 330 kilo volts (kv) new-built transformer substation, 132kv substation extension, 330kv transmission line and 132kv tubular poles, was commissioned on Monday by Nigeria's Vice President Namadi Sambo.
Designed to be one of the biggest substations in the West African country, the project, located in Gwagwalada city of Abuja, was completed within 14 months after the site work commenced, Sinotec's deputy managing director, Bu Songbo, said at the commissioning ceremony.
"We have completed many projects in the past 10 years (in Nigeria). However, this is the only one which covered so many types of work scope," the company manager said.
Chinedu Nebo, Nigeria's minister of power, described the project, executed under the National Integrated Power Project scheme, as "a very critical link in the national grid" of Africa's most populous country.
He said the Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria, which constructed the facility through Sinotec, will be in its second phase of the project, focus mainly on the construction of hydro power plants in northern Nigeria to assure a mixed grid distribution of power.
"All these will contribute immensely to the national grid," said Sambo, noting he commissioned a similar power project six days ago in the north central state of Benue.
Xinhua
The project, which included the construction of a 330 kilo volts (kv) new-built transformer substation, 132kv substation extension, 330kv transmission line and 132kv tubular poles, was commissioned on Monday by Nigeria's Vice President Namadi Sambo.
Designed to be one of the biggest substations in the West African country, the project, located in Gwagwalada city of Abuja, was completed within 14 months after the site work commenced, Sinotec's deputy managing director, Bu Songbo, said at the commissioning ceremony.
"We have completed many projects in the past 10 years (in Nigeria). However, this is the only one which covered so many types of work scope," the company manager said.
Chinedu Nebo, Nigeria's minister of power, described the project, executed under the National Integrated Power Project scheme, as "a very critical link in the national grid" of Africa's most populous country.
He said the Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria, which constructed the facility through Sinotec, will be in its second phase of the project, focus mainly on the construction of hydro power plants in northern Nigeria to assure a mixed grid distribution of power.
"All these will contribute immensely to the national grid," said Sambo, noting he commissioned a similar power project six days ago in the north central state of Benue.
Xinhua
Friday, May 8, 2015
Boko Haram attack school in Northern Nigeria
Suspected Boko Haram extremists attacked a business school in northeast Nigeria on Friday with gunfire and two bomb blasts.
A suicide bomber died when he blew himself up prematurely in the car park of the College of Administrative and Business Studies in Potiskum, according to a security officer and a hospital worker. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to reporters.
A second bomb exploded in the college dormitory, but all the students apparently were already in classrooms.
Five students were wounded by gunfire and another 45 people are being treated for injuries sustained as they jumped out of windows and over walls to escape the attackers, the hospital worker said.
Those injured include schoolchildren from the neighbouring Government Science Secondary School, who also thought they were under attack. At least 40 students were killed when Boko Haram attacked that school last year.
In Friday’s attack, the gunmen arrived around 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) and opened fire at the gate of the business school, witnesses said. Security guards armed only with clubs ran away, said the witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
It is the first school attack reported since a 3-month-old multinational offensive drove Boko Haram out of towns and villages seized last year where the insurgents, who have sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group, declared an Islamic caliphate. Boko Haram means “Western education is sinful.”
Troops from neighbouring countries joined the fight as Nigeria’s home-grown Islamic extremist group began attacking across borders.
Nigeria’s military says the main fighting force of Boko Haram has fled to strongholds in the vast Sambisa Forest of northeast Nigeria, where Nigerian troops this month rescued nearly 700 girls and women held in captivity by the insurgents and destroyed about 20 camps.
Global
A suicide bomber died when he blew himself up prematurely in the car park of the College of Administrative and Business Studies in Potiskum, according to a security officer and a hospital worker. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to reporters.
A second bomb exploded in the college dormitory, but all the students apparently were already in classrooms.
Five students were wounded by gunfire and another 45 people are being treated for injuries sustained as they jumped out of windows and over walls to escape the attackers, the hospital worker said.
Those injured include schoolchildren from the neighbouring Government Science Secondary School, who also thought they were under attack. At least 40 students were killed when Boko Haram attacked that school last year.
In Friday’s attack, the gunmen arrived around 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) and opened fire at the gate of the business school, witnesses said. Security guards armed only with clubs ran away, said the witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
It is the first school attack reported since a 3-month-old multinational offensive drove Boko Haram out of towns and villages seized last year where the insurgents, who have sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group, declared an Islamic caliphate. Boko Haram means “Western education is sinful.”
Troops from neighbouring countries joined the fight as Nigeria’s home-grown Islamic extremist group began attacking across borders.
Nigeria’s military says the main fighting force of Boko Haram has fled to strongholds in the vast Sambisa Forest of northeast Nigeria, where Nigerian troops this month rescued nearly 700 girls and women held in captivity by the insurgents and destroyed about 20 camps.
Global
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