Welcome to Geophilworld's blog: 04/25/16

Monday, 25 April 2016

Non-Fulani lives don't matter to Buhari - Femi Fani-Kayode

Non-Fulani lives don't matter to Buhari - Femi Fani-Kayode

The number of Igbos slaughtered by Fulani militants in Enugu this afternoon has gone up to 100.

Many churches and homes have been burnt to the ground.

When will President Buhari appreciate the fact that NON-FULANI LIVES MATTER?

In reaction to this horrific situation, Mr. Babatunde O. Gbadamosi, a highly respected Lagos-based businessman, wrote the following:

"Scores slaughtered by ‪#‎FulaniTerrorists‬ in Enugu, but the Fulani President, Muhammadu Buhari, his Fulani senior security commanders and government functionaries are more interested in pipeline vandals that are killing no one!

Nigerians, if you don't arm yourselves and fight back, na una sabi.

Those of you Yoruba APC zombies that think you are special, when they finish with the MiddleBelt, the South-South and the South East, you will be next, and there will be no one left to defend you.

I am referring to you, my Muslim uncles and aunties, who think the Fulanis will see you as kindred spirits and spare you. They will not.

Just as they are fake Muslims in the eyes of the Arabs, you are also fake Muslims in their eyes, only useful to help subjugate your people under their rule, then you will see pepper.

Kill Afonjaism now, and stand for something, or your children will one day curse the day you were born".

‪#‎GrazingBillMustDie‬

‪#‎SayNoToFulaniOccupation‬

My take? Yugoslavia downloading.

Senate President Saraki withdraws motion for stay of Proceedings at CCT

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has on Monday asked the Appellate court to strike out his motion for stay of proceedings in his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

According to Vanguard, Saraki’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN) who made the application said “We sincerely apologise to your lordships for taking the action after you have already read through such a voluminous motion. It is unfair to say we are withdrawing. But we have to. We want to withdraw the motion.”

Agabi however, urged the Court to accelerate its hearing of the suit challenging the jurisdiction of the CCT his client (Saraki).

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Assembly on Monday declared open, the Public Hearing on the Nigerian Railway Corporation Act Amendment Bill 2015.

The Bill which was sponsored by Senator Andy Uba (Anambra South Constituency) seeks to revolutionise the Nigerian railway system for enhanced transportation through the creation of appropriate regulatory agencies that will make it comply with international best practices.

Saraki in a series of tweets said:

The re-enactment of the Railway Corporation act will allow the private sector to participate more robustly in the sector. A better functioning railway system will help us achieve economic diversification, as it affects agriculture, mining and various sectors. With the calibre of participants at the public hearing, I am optimistic that we’ll have meaningful contributions that will improve the bill.

3.2bn people at risk of malaria globally – WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO), has said that about 3.2 billion people remained at risk to malaria attack globally.

This is contained in a report entitled: “Eliminating Malaria”, released on Monday on World Malaria Day, observed every year on April 25.

It stated that in 2015 alone, 214 million new cases of the disease were reported in 95 countries and no fewer than 400,000 people died of malaria.

The “Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030”, approved by the World Health Assembly in 2015, calls for the elimination of local transmission of malaria in at least ten countries by 2020.
WHO’s estimates showed that 21 countries were in a position to achieve this goal, including six countries in the African Region, where the burden of the disease is heaviest.

It added that the efficacy of the tools that secured the gains against malaria in the early years of this century is now threatened.
The WHO also said that mosquito resistance to insecticides used in nets and indoor residual spraying is growing.

It also warned of parasite resistance to a component of one of the most powerful antimalarial medicines.
It added that further progress against malaria will likely require new tools that do not exist today, and the further refining of new technologies.

“Since the year 2000, it showed that malaria mortality rates have declined by 60 per cent globally.
“It also showed that in the African Region, malaria mortality rates fell by 66 per cent among all age groups and by 71 per cent among children under five years.”
The advances, it added, came through the use of core malaria control tools that have been widely deployed over the last decade:

They are insecticide-treated bed-nets, indoor residual spraying, rapid diagnostic testing and artemisinin-based combination therapies.
WHO, however said in 2015 for the first time, the European Medicines Agency issued a positive scientific opinion on a malaria vaccine.

In 2015, it added, all countries in the European Region , for the first time, recorded zero indigenous cases of malaria, down from 90 000 cases in 1995.

Outside this region, it added that eight countries reported zero cases of the disease in 2014: Argentina, Costa Rica, Iraq, Morocco, Oman, Paraguay, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates.

Eight other countries, it added, tallied fewer than 100 indigenous malaria cases in 2014.
It also added that 12 countries reported between 100 and 1000 indigenous malaria cases in 2014.
WHO says vigorous leadership by the governments of affected countries is key.

It said that governments must strengthen surveillance of cases to identify gaps in coverage and be prepared to take action based on the information received.
It also said, as countries approach elimination, the ability to detect every infection becomes increasingly important.

“Reaching the goals of the “Global Technical Strategy” will require a steep increase in global and domestic funding from 2.5 billion dollars to an estimated 8.7 billion dollars annually by 2030.
“Through robust financing and political will, affected countries can speed progress towards malaria elimination and contribute to the broader development agenda as laid out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” the report said.

NAN reports that the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030, launched in January, seeks to reduce the rate of new malaria cases, and malaria death rate by at least 90 per cent.
Others are eliminate malaria in at least 35 countries and prevent a resurgence of malaria in all countries that are malaria-free.

I will support any Buhari’s policy – Gov Wike

I will support any Buhari’s policy - Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike presenting a souvenir to the Team Leader of NIPPS study group , Prof Celestine Oyom Bassey at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that he will support any policy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration which will enhance the well-being of Rivers people.

Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday when he granted audience to the Local Study Group from the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPPS, Kuru, Governor Wike said that his primary focus is to work for the good of Rivers People.
He noted that he will not use his office for unnecessary politicking, pointing out that good policies transcend party affiliation.

“I will support any policy of the Federal Government that will enhance the living standard of the people of Rivers State. It doesn’t matter who initiated such policy as long as it favours our people”.
Speaking further, the Governor urged the Federal Government to find ways to implement the recommendations of different NIPPS study teams especially as they relate to poverty alleviation.

He said the Rivers State Government will support the NIPPS study team in carrying out their research into poverty alleviation in the state.
Earlier, Director of Studies and Leader of Delegation of the Study Group of NIPPS , Prof Celestine Oyom Bassey, said that the team was in the state to carry out an assessment of the impact of poverty alleviation programmes in the state.