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Summit: US Tests Jonathan’s Aides, Others For Ebola
Ahead of the coming African/American Leaders Summit billed for today in Washington DC, United States, President Barack Obama, has said some African participants attending will be screened for exposure to the dreaded Ebola virus.
President Goodluck Jonathan along with his aides is among the African leaders are about now in the United States to attend the event.
According to reports, Obama explained on Friday that the action would be taken to protect the US from the outbreak of the disease.
He said, “Folks who are from these countries that have even a marginal risk, or an infinitesimal risk of having been exposed in some fashion, we’re making sure we’re doing screening.”
The United States, Obama said, takes risks from the deadly Ebola virus very seriously hence the planned test for the expected African leaders.
Also, two African leaders have said that they would not attend the meeting because of the outbreak of the Ebola disease in their countries.
The leaders are the presidents of Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Ernest Bai-Koroma, respectively.
Meanwhile, professional health bodies and medical experts have condemned Nigeria’s response to the global outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease.
They strongly condemned what they described as poor preventive measures put in place by the Federal Government.
Nigeria has recorded the death of an Ebola victim, Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian, who flew into the country on July 20.
The deceased collapsed on his arrival in Lagos and was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with EVD. He later died on July 25.
Ebola, which has killed scores in Guinea, Gambia and Sierra Leone and Liberia, is an acute viral illness and often characterised by fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.
These are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.
A virologist and President, Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof. Oyewole Tomori, in an interview at the weekend, decried the porous nature of Nigerian hospitals, saying that it would allow the disease to spread easily between patients and health workers.
He said, “In an ideal situation, there is no need to close the border. As a matter of fact, there are too many entry points into the country. How many of these can be closed? But beyond closing the borders is the actual state of preparedness. The truth of the matter is we’re not prepared.
“Also, the government needs to collaborate with private medical laboratory facilities. Testing for the Ebola Virus Disease isn’t something that can be done in a moment. It takes time. The Federal Ministry of Health should now be asking laboratory facilities what they have and what they need, as part of preparedness, in case there’s an overwhelming need for blood samples to be tested for the virus.
“The bottom line of my response is that the country is not prepared for an outbreak of the Ebola virus.”
Tomori decried that the case of Sawyer caught Nigeria unawares, as the country was not prepared enough for the disease.
He said, “We are not prepared to handle any outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease. There’s no sign of any state of preparedness. What happened in the case of the dead Liberian man with Ebola virus visiting Nigeria was circumstantial. It was not that we prepared for it as a nation.
“If the man had not been sick at the point he arrived in Nigeria, he could have travelled to Calabar for his conference. At that point it would likely be difficult to know there was a case of Ebola in the country. He could have died in Calabar without any trace.
“Interestingly too, what happened at the airport seemed to be a blessing in disguise. Just imagine what could have happened, had the Nigerian Medical Association not been on strike. The situation could have been worse by now. If medical doctors were not on strike, with the Liberian arriving sick at the Nigerian airport, he would likely have been taken to one of the government hospitals.
“In government hospitals, there are many people around; you have many outpatients and visitors who could have come in close contact with the man (Sawyer); that could have been a disaster.”
He urged the NMA to sheathe its sword on its ongoing strike, “in view of the looming Ebola outbreak.”
He said, “Nigerian medical doctors, for the sake of stemming the likely outbreak of Ebola, should suspend their strike and support government’s efforts.”
Also speaking, Director, African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Christian Happy, described the outbreak of Ebola as “an epidemic characterising dysfunctional health systems.”
He said, “If the disease surveillance systems in West African countries were active, we would have prevented the spread of the virus once the epidemic started in Guinea in December 2013. Now, this epidemic can no longer be considered as a West African problem.”
The Professor of Molecular Biology and Genomics stated that while the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government were making efforts to contain the situation, “I don’t know how really prepared we are in case of a major outbreak.”
Happy said Nigeria was “very fortunate” that it had diagnostic capability. He, however, noted that there was the need for laboratories to have enough reagents and supplies in case of a major outbreak.
“I believe the government has a small window of opportunities now to really stock these reference laboratories with equipment, supplies and reagents in order to face the epidemic. The government should quickly refurbish some medical facilities and dedicate them to the management of viral haemorrhagic fevers as a major step towards preparing for a major outbreak if it occurs,” Happi added.
Similarly, the Vice-President, Commonwealth Medical Association and immediate past President, Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said “things are just getting to be pushed up the scale, in terms of our preparedness for the Ebola outbreak.”
He said it was expected that there would have been massive public enlightenment before, rather than after the case of Sawyer, which he described as one “detected fortunately.”
Enabulele said, “One would have expected that as the pandemic was spreading within some of those affected West African countries, there would have been an increased push to get the people to be aware of it.
“But, nevertheless, I think it is still commendable to note that there has been a renewed drive to upscale the public enlightenment aspect of the preparedness for the Ebola outbreak. We also need to beef up the surveillance mechanisms of the government.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association, Lagos State chapter, Dr. Mobolaji Alao, has advised pet owners to screen their animals to ensure they are free of the Ebola virus.
Speaking to newsmen, he advised that poultry farmers should ensure that they rear their livestock in a bat and rodent free environment.
He said, “The Ebola virus can be transmitted to dogs. It is important that your pets are protected by keeping them in screened environments especially in bat infested areas.
“Pig farmers, especially, should not only provide screened husbandry facility for their livestock but they should also ensure a bat free environment, particularly the fruit bats. It has been shown through published studies that domestic and wild pigs can infect monkeys in close proximity.
“This has lent credence to the suggestion that there might be airborne components to the spread of the disease.”
Already, there are fears that the porous nature of Nigerian land borders may thwart the Federal Government’s efforts to check the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in the country.
There are about 1,479 illegal routes into Nigeria, through which smugglers, illegal immigrants and terrorists have been infiltrating the country. This is said to be exposing the country to dangers.
Despite having immigration and health officers who man 114 regular border posts, the level of territorial management has been described as inadequate to protect the country from Ebola virus.
The illegal immigrants from Chad, Mali, Niger, Cameroun, Togo, Benin Republic and other countries, who find Nigeria as an attractive destination for being the commercial nerve centre of the West African sub-region, may quicken the spread of the deadly disease.
The Federal Government had last Sunday ordered the setting up of disease isolation centres at international airports in Nigeria.
The Coordinating General Manager, Aviation Parastatals, Mr. Yakubu Dati, had said the Federal Government had commenced screening of international passengers suspected to have the virus.
The National Primary HealthCare Development Agency had also hinted that it had put its workers on the alert to check the disease.
L-R:Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr Tunde Ogunsakin, Rivers State Deputy Governor, Engr Tele Ikuru And Senator George Sekibo at the “Stop Kidnapping Campaign” organized by the Commissioner of Police at the Police Officers Mess in Port Harcourt, Yesterday.
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.