Thursday, December 15, 2016
Video - President Buhari orders all Super Falcons' fees and bonuses paid within 24 hours
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an immediate settlement of the money owed to the women's national football team -- the Super Falcons. The directive follows a protest by the team over the non-payment of stipends and match fees. CCTV's Kelechi Emekalam has more.
40% of men in Nigeria have prostate cancer
Forty per cent of men aged about 40 years are living with prostate cancer and many are unaware of their status, an expert has said.
Dr Ovunda Omudu, Head, Department of Surgery at the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, disclosed this on Thursday while delivering a lecture on cancer to officers and ratings of the Nigeria Navy Ship Pathfinder in Port Harcourt.
Omudu, a trained Urologist, said the disease had killed many due to several factors including poor awareness, knowledge, ignorance and manpower.
According to him, treatment for the disease is equally very expensive as it cost between N90,000 to N110,000 per one injection administered to a patient every three months.
“Prostate cancer is one of the leading killer diseases in men in Nigeria and the second cause of cancer deaths in men worldwide.
“Here in Nigeria, we do not have a national budget designated for prostate cancer as obtainable in some western nations which meant that treatment lies solely on the sufferer.
“Due to exchange rate, a 10.8 milligram of prostate cancer injection goes for N90,000 to N110,000 which a patient takes once every three months.
“Similarly, 3.6 milligram of the same injection which is taken every month is sold for N45,000 combined with drug which cost N27,000 per dosage.
“So, you can imagine that every month a retiree or pensioner with prostate cancer will spend roughly N120,000 to treat the disease.
“So, it is very important that we do our best to prevent the disease and stop paying salary to prostate cancer via drugs and medication,” he said.
Omudu said that surgery to remove prostate cancer abroad cost about 10,000 U.S. dollars (N4.85 million) while cost of travelling, hospital and hotel accommodation increased the figure to N7 million.
Omudu, however, said that a foundation based in the country had intervened by reducing cost for laser surgery to N600,000.
He said the disease could be prevented by eating consumables like red tomato; Green tea, sea foods, such as periwinkles and snails, and regular exercise.
“Green tea contained anti-oxidant and anti-free radicals while the sea foods have magnesium, manganese, selenium and vitamin E and D which are nutrients for prevention of the disease,” he said.
Omudu said that efforts were currently being made to reduce the number by creating more awareness and training of additional Urologist doctors to provide needed expertise.
The medical doctor advised officers and ratings to take measures to prevent the diseases, especially going by the nature of their jobs which demanded physical fitness.
Speaking, Commodore Obi Egbuchulam, the Commander of Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS), said the base organised the lecture to expose troops to dangers posed by the disease.
He said that some serving and retired naval officers and ratings were currently suffering from prostate cancer which could affect their ability to provide optimal service to the country.
“I think it is our responsibility to educate and enlighten our personnel on dangers of prostate cancer, so that they can live a happy and healthy life serving and after retirement.
“Some people developed this disease due to ignorance and so, this lecture is taking place together with a free Prostate Specific Antigen screening to enable our personnel know their cancer status,” he said.
Egbuchulam assured that the exercise would be a regular and urged personnel from other units and formations to always get tested.
Dr Ovunda Omudu, Head, Department of Surgery at the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, disclosed this on Thursday while delivering a lecture on cancer to officers and ratings of the Nigeria Navy Ship Pathfinder in Port Harcourt.
Omudu, a trained Urologist, said the disease had killed many due to several factors including poor awareness, knowledge, ignorance and manpower.
According to him, treatment for the disease is equally very expensive as it cost between N90,000 to N110,000 per one injection administered to a patient every three months.
“Prostate cancer is one of the leading killer diseases in men in Nigeria and the second cause of cancer deaths in men worldwide.
“Here in Nigeria, we do not have a national budget designated for prostate cancer as obtainable in some western nations which meant that treatment lies solely on the sufferer.
“Due to exchange rate, a 10.8 milligram of prostate cancer injection goes for N90,000 to N110,000 which a patient takes once every three months.
“Similarly, 3.6 milligram of the same injection which is taken every month is sold for N45,000 combined with drug which cost N27,000 per dosage.
“So, you can imagine that every month a retiree or pensioner with prostate cancer will spend roughly N120,000 to treat the disease.
“So, it is very important that we do our best to prevent the disease and stop paying salary to prostate cancer via drugs and medication,” he said.
Omudu said that surgery to remove prostate cancer abroad cost about 10,000 U.S. dollars (N4.85 million) while cost of travelling, hospital and hotel accommodation increased the figure to N7 million.
Omudu, however, said that a foundation based in the country had intervened by reducing cost for laser surgery to N600,000.
He said the disease could be prevented by eating consumables like red tomato; Green tea, sea foods, such as periwinkles and snails, and regular exercise.
“Green tea contained anti-oxidant and anti-free radicals while the sea foods have magnesium, manganese, selenium and vitamin E and D which are nutrients for prevention of the disease,” he said.
Omudu said that efforts were currently being made to reduce the number by creating more awareness and training of additional Urologist doctors to provide needed expertise.
The medical doctor advised officers and ratings to take measures to prevent the diseases, especially going by the nature of their jobs which demanded physical fitness.
Speaking, Commodore Obi Egbuchulam, the Commander of Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS), said the base organised the lecture to expose troops to dangers posed by the disease.
He said that some serving and retired naval officers and ratings were currently suffering from prostate cancer which could affect their ability to provide optimal service to the country.
“I think it is our responsibility to educate and enlighten our personnel on dangers of prostate cancer, so that they can live a happy and healthy life serving and after retirement.
“Some people developed this disease due to ignorance and so, this lecture is taking place together with a free Prostate Specific Antigen screening to enable our personnel know their cancer status,” he said.
Egbuchulam assured that the exercise would be a regular and urged personnel from other units and formations to always get tested.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Video - Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote committed to investment in Tanzania, if gas prices are cut
Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote says he's committed to investing in Tanzania -- despite halting production at his cement factory over energy costs. President John Magufuli has invited him to Dar es Salaam to broker a solution, saying Dangote could buy gas directly from the state supplier. But as Dan Ashby reports, there may be more problems ahead.
Video - Nigeria's government audit uncovers $7.2 billion concealed debt
Nigeria's government has stumbled over a debt amounting to $7.22 billion that was not recorded by the previous administration. Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun says the whooping amount emerged during an audit aimed at improving transparency. The debt owed to contractors, oil marketers, exporters and electricity distribution companies amounts to 2.3 percent of the gross domestic product. The government has now issued a 10-year promissory note to settle the amount due to creditors. President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to present the 2017 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly later on Wednesday. Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in 25 years, brought on by low oil prices, which have slashed government revenue, hammered its currency and caused chronic dollar shortages, frustrating businesses.
Millions of Nigerians at risk of losing money to a Ponzi scheme
After a strong run which saw it garner more than two million users, Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox (MMM), a Russian Ponzi scheme, has suspended its operations in Nigeria. The scheme, described as a “mutual aid fund where ordinary people help each other”, guaranteed returns of 30% per month on payments and has grown popular across Africa’s largest economy.
Depending on its users to pay each other without running a central bank account or physical address, MMM sees registered participants pledge and donate money to other participants when directed to do so by the scheme’s operators. After a month, donors are entitled to receive the donated sum, plus 30% interest, paid by another user.
In a message to its users, MMM says the suspension of operations is because “the system is experiencing heavy workload.” It also blames its disruption on “the constant frenzy provoked by the authorities in the mass media.” Over the past year, as the scheme’s popularity has grown, Nigerian authorities have stepped up campaigns to dissuade Nigerians from taking part in the scheme.
Central Bank of Nigeria warned against committing funds to “fraudsters”. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s chief anti-corruption agency, also launched an investigation of the scheme’s operations.
The government’s tactics appear to have had the desired effect as reports suggest that, given heightened risk warnings by the government’s agencies, MMM participants have become hesitant to make payments as directed by the system causing a hiccup in operations. As a result, MMM says its operations “will be frozen for a month.” By extension, participants due to receive returns having paid out money over the past month will be unable to do so.
“The reason for this measure is evident,” MMM’s message to its users read. “We need to prevent any problems during the New Year season, and then, when everything calms down, this measure will be cancelled.” It refers to paying out by users as PH (Provide Help).
But the promise of a return has proven scant assurance for Nigerians with money trapped in the scheme. Taking to social media, MMM participants have requested clarity and complained about the suspension of operations in the typically busy festive season.
MMM’s suspensions of operations in Nigeria is similar to events in South Africa where the scheme collapsed and was forced to start over. In that instance, MMM also blamed the collapse on “persecution” which it claimed was “organized by the mass media” to provoke panic. Similarly, in Zimbabwe, the scheme temporarily suspended operations and slashed withdrawal exchange rates upon resumption causing participants to lose 80% of their investment. It remains to be seen whether the scheme will make a January return as promised, but if it does, there’s a good chance, having faced the prospect of losing their money, participants are likely to be only interested in getting out their cash.
Depending on its users to pay each other without running a central bank account or physical address, MMM sees registered participants pledge and donate money to other participants when directed to do so by the scheme’s operators. After a month, donors are entitled to receive the donated sum, plus 30% interest, paid by another user.
In a message to its users, MMM says the suspension of operations is because “the system is experiencing heavy workload.” It also blames its disruption on “the constant frenzy provoked by the authorities in the mass media.” Over the past year, as the scheme’s popularity has grown, Nigerian authorities have stepped up campaigns to dissuade Nigerians from taking part in the scheme.
Central Bank of Nigeria warned against committing funds to “fraudsters”. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s chief anti-corruption agency, also launched an investigation of the scheme’s operations.
The government’s tactics appear to have had the desired effect as reports suggest that, given heightened risk warnings by the government’s agencies, MMM participants have become hesitant to make payments as directed by the system causing a hiccup in operations. As a result, MMM says its operations “will be frozen for a month.” By extension, participants due to receive returns having paid out money over the past month will be unable to do so.
“The reason for this measure is evident,” MMM’s message to its users read. “We need to prevent any problems during the New Year season, and then, when everything calms down, this measure will be cancelled.” It refers to paying out by users as PH (Provide Help).
But the promise of a return has proven scant assurance for Nigerians with money trapped in the scheme. Taking to social media, MMM participants have requested clarity and complained about the suspension of operations in the typically busy festive season.
MMM’s suspensions of operations in Nigeria is similar to events in South Africa where the scheme collapsed and was forced to start over. In that instance, MMM also blamed the collapse on “persecution” which it claimed was “organized by the mass media” to provoke panic. Similarly, in Zimbabwe, the scheme temporarily suspended operations and slashed withdrawal exchange rates upon resumption causing participants to lose 80% of their investment. It remains to be seen whether the scheme will make a January return as promised, but if it does, there’s a good chance, having faced the prospect of losing their money, participants are likely to be only interested in getting out their cash.
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