WAEC reacts as fire guts Nigerian headquarters

There was early morning fire outbreak at the headquarters of Nigeria’s office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Wednesday, but the examination body has said the situation is under control.

Videos of flames at the WAEC headquarters located in Yaba, Lagos, were in circulation early Wednesday morning with unconfirmed reports suggesting that staffers were trapped in the building.

According to sources, some of the workers and particularly the non-academic staff union members had resumed when the fire incident was observed.

However, no one could ascertain the cause of the outbreak as everyone reportedly scampered for safety.
Situation under control -WAEC

Reacting to the development in a telephone conversation, the Acting Head of the Public Affairs Unit of WAEC, Moyosola Adesina, said the situation was under control.

Mrs Adesina said no one was hurt and that everyone in the building was successfully evacuated by fire fighters.

She said; “Yes, the fire outbreak was noticed at the headquarters this morning and the fire fighters were quickly invited.

“I can confirm to you that everyone in the building was successfully evacuated and that the fire has been put out.”

The spokeswoman said she could not ascertain the cause of the incident yet but that efforts were on to “do that.”

WAEC had on Thursday officially launched a platform for digital certificates but this has been followed by mixed reactions.

While some users of the platform commended the examination body for the innovation, many others have accused it of rip off.

But WAEC said all the identified issues were being looked into for resolutions.

By Mojeed Alabi

Premium Times

How Nigeria can stop doctors’ brain drain – NMA chairman

The Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Oyo State, Wale Lasisi, has called on the government to give doctors incentives to mitigate the issue of brain drain bedeviling the health sector.

Mr Lasisi made the call in Ibadan on Tuesday at the opening of the 2022 Physicians’ Week, with the theme: “Nigeria’s Healthcare Delivery System and the 2023 Democratic Transition: A Time to Change the Narrative.”

He said the problem of brain drain had been on since 1960, as many people leave the country on a daily basis.

“In those days, the pattern was people training abroad and coming home to practise.

“As things degenerated over time, many people who have been exposed abroad ran back while those who have had the opportunity of training abroad also ran back when they saw the quality service there.

“UK is trying to replace its own workforce and make sure its people get the best of healthcare, thus coming down to Third World nations in Africa, including Nigeria, to recruit medical personnel.

“In the immediate future, the best that the government can do is to add incentives to retain those who are on ground,” Mr Lasisi said.

In his lecture, Vice-Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun, Ayodeji Agboola, advised those contesting for one position or the other to put the issue of healthcare in the front burner.

“We have heard several promises from 1960 till when the civilian rule started in 1999.

“So much legislation had also been made and we have heard that they wanted to develop primary healthcare but we have not seen any significant improvement.

“My advice and plea to all of them is to make sure that they put primary healthcare into focus,” Mr Agboola said.

Fola Adeniji, of University College Hospital, Ibadan, said if the brain drain trend should be allowed to continue, the country would be at the risk of having a collapsed health system.

“For every physician trained in Nigeria, government must have spent an average of N3.8 million, which is equivalent to $10,000.

“So if that individual decides to leave the country, that means the country will be losing investments in that individual,” Mr Adeniji said.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the event, Akinyinka Omigbodun, described doctors as endangered species, as many of them were leaving for other places, with the few remaining already overwhelmed with the number of patients.


Mr Omigbodun urged the association to bring together policy makers and stakeholders to implement policies that would benefit the sector.

In his goodwill message, the Chief Medical Director of UCH, Jesse Otegbayo, noted that the nation’s healthcare system had suffered a lot, especially in terms of poor allocation of resources to the sector.

He, however, said this year’s budget had given the sector the highest allocation, for the first time in many decades.

Premium Times

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Nigeria's Owodunni makes history, becomes first black to be City Councillor in Canada

Nigeria’s Ayo Owodunni has made history in Canada as the first black person to become a City Councillor in Kitchener, London Ontario.

Owodunni won in Ward 5. Owodunni is a Senior Manager at the Black Professionals in Tech Network.

Reacting to this, President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement, said the record-setting election of the Nigerian, the first ever for a black person highlighted the various initiatives undertaken by him as a consultant, facilitator, and trainer, supporting businesses in their efforts to promote learning and bring diversity, inclusion and cultural understanding in the workplace.

The President urged Nigerians in the Diaspora to always promote the government’s development agenda wherever they lived and ” never be afraid to dream big and never give up on your dreams.”

The President congratulated Owodunni and his spouse, Folake and their two children on this very important election victory.
 By Kazeem Ugbodaga

PM News

 

U.S. authorities departure of non-emergency staff from Nigeria

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday authorised the departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees and their families from Nigeria due to a heightened risk of terrorist attacks in the country.

The latest travel update comes after the United States and the United Kingdom warned on Sunday of a possible terrorist attack in the capital Abuja, especially aimed at government buildings, places of worship and schools, among other targets.

"The U.S. Embassy Abuja continues to have limited ability to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens in Nigeria," the State Department said.

Nigeria's Department of State Services said the United States had previously issued similar warnings and urged citizens to remain alert.

Insecurity, which is rife across most Nigerian states, is a major issue among voters who will choose a new president next February.

By MacDonald Dzirutwe

Reuters

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Nigeria’s Buhari orders formulation of action plan to prevent flood disasters

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has directed relevant government agencies to develop an action plan for the prevention of flood disasters in the West African country.

According to the president’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, Buhari directed the Minister of Water Resources to lead and coordinate with the Ministries of Environment and Transportation as well as State Governments to develop a comprehensive plan of action for preventing flood disasters in Nigeria.

Nigeria has been hit by perennial floods that caused the loss of hundreds of lives and massive destruction of property.

Currently, more than 2.5 million people in the country are in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations.

Flooding has affected 34 out of the 36 states in the country this year, killing more than 600 people and displacing 1.3 million people.

The UN says the country has recorded a rise in cases of diarrhoea and water-borne diseases, respiratory infection, and skin diseases.

Shehu noted that President Buhari is regularly receiving updates on the flooding situation and is committed to addressing the challenges caused by the disaster in the country.

By Jerry Omondi

CGTN 

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