Six-month imprisonment, N50,000 fine for smokers - FG

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the draft National Tobacco Control Bill 2004 that will be sent to the National Assembly as an Executive Bill for promulgation into law.

The Bill recommends a minimum of six months imprisonment or N50,000 or both for individuals that smoke outside public places designated as smoking areas.


Minister of Information, Mr. Laban Maku; and the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Chukwu said the penalties for corporate offenders varied from N1million to N5million and one year to two years imprisonment for the chief executives of such firms.

The minister added that all forms of advertisement of tobacco is totally banned under the proposed law.

He added that while the law forbids government from accepting gifts from tobacco firms, it also bans the firms from sponsoring any public event.

When it finally becomes a law, he said 50 per cent of the packaging of tobacco is expected to be used to warn the public of the risks involved in smoking.

Chukwu said the government would set up a standing committee that would assist law enforcement agencies in implementing the law.

He said the present administration decided to work on the Bill because the provisions of a similar one passed into law in 2001 were considered to be weak.

He listed some of the diseases linked to smoking to include cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke; cancer, especially that of the lung; as well as chronic respiratory disorder.

He recalled that a Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted in 2008 showed that 15 per cent of children between 13 years and 15 years are already smoking and another percentage exposed as passive smokers.

He said the Global Adult Tobacco Survey on its part showed that 10 percent of men in Nigeria smoke while 1.1 percent women smoke.

This, he explained, showed that almost six per cent of adults in Nigeria smoke.

He said, “This is not the first attempt in Nigeria to control the use of tobacco in this country. In 1990 we had a decree which tried to place some control on the sale and use of tobacco products and in 2001, it was repealed and re-enacted to become the National Tobacco Control Act of 2001.

“The whole idea is to make it stiffer, but when in 2004, Nigeria along with other nations of the world signed the 2004 WHO framework convention on tobacco control, there was then the need to bring our laws in conformity because we actually as a country ratified that convention the next year which was 2005.

“So that attempt by the Executive will eventually culminate in the passage of a revised or amended Act as it were in 2011 by the sixth session of the National Assembly.

“The bill is to protect Nigerians against the harmful effects of tobacco. We know that tobacco is dangerous, tobacco is the cause of many deaths and it causes so many illnesses.”

Senate passes 2014 Budget

The Senate today Wednesday April 9th passed the 2014 budget totalling N4.695tr, an amount which is N52.2bn higher than the N4.642trl which was submitted by President Goodluck Jonathan to the National Assembly on December 19, 2013, through the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Highlights of the 2014 budget as approved by the senate are, Statutory Transfers (N408,687,801,891), Debts Service (N712,000,000,000), Recurrent Expenditure (N2,454,887,566,702), Capital Expenditure (N1,119,614,631,407) while the Aggregate Expenditure is N4,695,190,000,000. 

(Punch)

Court fixes June 3 for ruling on N100 billion suit by Abacha`s aide

Mr. Aminu claims he was wrongfully detained and convicted by the Lagos State government.

An Abuja High Court on Wednesday fixed June 3 for ruling in a N100 billion suit filed by ex-army corporal, Aminu Mohammed, against the Lagos State Government.

Mr. Mohammed, a former security aide to late Sani Abacha, is claiming the amount as damages for alleged wrongful detention and conviction by the Lagos State Government.

He also sued the Lagos State Attorney-General in 2010, challenging his arrest, detention, and subsequent conviction by a Lagos High Court over the murder of Kudirat Abiola.

The Lagos High Court handed down a 59-year jail term to Mr. Aminu and Lateef Shofolahan, Personal Assistant to late Kudirat Abiola.

The decision of the Lagos court was, however, dismissed by the Court of Appeal for lack of merit.

Justice Salisu Garba of the Abuja High Court fixed the date after hearing arguments by the two counsel.

Mr. Aminu’s counsel, James Ocholi, argued that his client had reasonable cause of action against the Lagos State Government.

Mr. Ocholi urged the court to proceed to hear the matter and dismiss the defendant’s prayer.

He said that Mr. Aminu was wrongfully detained and convicted by the defendant which made the applicant to file a suit demanding for enforcement of his right.

He said the Court of Appeal had affirmed that his client was innocent of all allegations against him.

In his submission, counsel to the Lagos State Government, Lawal Pedro, argued that the suit was incompetent and an attempt to waste the time of the court.

Mr. Pedro urged the court to determine whether Mr. Aminu had a reasonable cause of action to institute the matter.

“Yes, there was a trial, a conviction and there was an acquittal by the Court of Appeal,” Mr. Pedro said.

He, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the applicant’s prayer and adjourn the matter to enable both parties to file their written addresses.

Mr. Pedro had earlier challenged the jurisdiction of the court to determine the case.
(NAN)

Nigerian Government raises alert on Ebola virus

Nigeria is in danger” of Ebola virus, the health minister said.

The Ebola Virus Disease, which has caused the death of scores of people in Central and West Africa may be heading towards Nigeria, the Federal Government has said.

Over 100 people have died from the disease in Guinea, while about 10 deaths have also been recorded in Liberia. Mali, Ghana, and other West African countries have also reported cases of the disease. The disease is believed to be spread through physical contact or contact with fluid of infected persons.

The World Health Organisation said on Tuesday that it expects the disease to continue in West Africa for the next few months.
Speaking to journalists after the weekly meeting of the Executive Council of the Federation, FEC, on Wednesday, the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, however, said no case of the disease has been reported in Nigeria.

“Like you pointed out, Ebola has been moving eastward towards Nigeria. We are already facing danger from Central African Republic, even with what is happening in Congo; people are also migrating to Chad and Cameroon are also in our borders.

“So Nigeria is in danger,” the minister said.

Mr. Chukwu said the federal government will now do more to educate Nigerians on the Ebola virus.
“We have recently said that in addition to the leaflets that we are producing for Lassa and other hemorrhagic fever, we will now emphasis Ebola fever.

“As I speak to you, we have already approved for jingles to be produced in various languages; produced for Nigerian Centre for Disease Control to be aired on Radio, TV and newspaper adverts.

“Then we are working with all groups, just like we are doing for polio, religious bodies, communities, traditional rulers and the media, which is most important in this venture. You (media) will help us to play your role by educating Nigerians,” he said.

The Health Minister also said there is no vaccine for the disease yet and “so it’s not a question of government has not produced vaccines for Ebola or Lassa fever.

“If there were vaccines, government will certainly buy a stock and keep. There is no specific treatment.”

Mr. Chukwu explained that both Ebola and Lassa fever could be spread through animals.

“We know what spreads infection for Lassa is a special type of rat in Nigeria; the ones for Ebola are bats that even some Nigerians see it as bush meat.

“And bats eat fruits as well and so sometimes if you go and pluck fruits that they have contaminated with the virus so someone can get infected.”

The minister advised Nigerians to take their personal hygiene seriously.

“So all the things we said still apply. Personal hygiene: make sure that after every ceremony you wash your hands.
“The first thing I do after returning from work is to wash my hands before hugging my children or anybody; it is very important. The second thing is that before you eat wash your hands again, the fruits must be washed, those things we eat from must be washed.

“When people have fever, we will soon review our adverts for things like anti-malaria because they still say if you have fever take this for three days if you don’t improve go and see your doctor but we are changing all that because now if you wait three days for Ebola you are dead.

“So all of them will continue and we will produce a specific one for Ebola”.

The health minister said though Ebola virus had become a threat in West Africa, it is not the only threat.

“Yes, Ebola is a real threat. It is true that as at today we have not been able to report a single case of Ebola.
“But mind you, Ebola is not the only threat, it is an added threat because West Africa never had a single case of Ebola until this year, it was more in Central Africa.

“But now we have added it to the ones that are even more native to West Africa which is Lassa fever.

“Some of these viruses belonging to a group that causes similar diseases like yellow fever, which for 18 years now we have not had a single case; but 18 years ago it devastated Nigeria. It is also the cause of what is called hemorrhagic fever” he said.

He said Lassa fever is more common in Nigeria, particularly in northern part of Edo State.

“They record a case every week and it is very deadly,” Mr. Chukwu said.

Plateau State on Wednesday said one person may have died from Lassa fever in the state.

The Plateau State epidemiologist, Raymond Juriet, said three other cases of the same disease are under laboratory examination.

Photos: Thieves caught trying to steal car parts and generators

2 men (pictured above) were caught in the early hours of this morning, around 3am, trying to steal parts from a new car parked on Ofada Street off Ladipo, Lagos. The men had already broken the car's side window and one of them inside stealing parts when someone spotted them & raised an alarm. 

The men actually came with a car to carry the stolen goods. The shirtless guy sells stolen wares while the dark one is the thief. He was the one caught inside the car, while the shirtless one was waiting inside the get away car. A third accomplice escaped.

The brain box and other wares stolen from the car were recovered and police took the thieves away. Continue to see more photos...

The car the thieves came in...smashed by the mob that gathered!

Femi Fani Kayode...and his visit to the Presidential Villa

One of the biggest critics of Pres. Jonathan and his government visited him at the Presidential Villa  yesterday Tuesday April 8th for a closed-door meeting.

Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani Kayode, who recently criticized his party APC in an article titled'APC and the strange dream of Muslim/Muslim Ticket, (where he revealed an alleged plan by some people in the party to foist a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket on the party), refused to discuss why he went to see the president, telling the press...

"This is a presidential villa, the president is a president of Nigeria every single person in this country that is a Nigerian is entitled to come here from time to time, when the doors are open to come and pay their respect to the wonderful people that are here. As a Nigerian I have done that today and I’m delighted to be here."

Oh now they are wonderful people? Lol. Biko continue...

"I have always believed that every Nigerian regardless of the side of the political divide they belong, and as a Nigerian myself I have believed that we disagree on an issue from time to time. The most important thing is for us to be able to resolve these issues and come together to move this country forward. And I think every right thinking responsible person should be able to do that. They should also be able to come to the villa from time to time to see how they can help to move the country forward." Fani Kayode said

 On if he is leaving APC, Femi Fani-Kayode said

“The step that I will take will be made known to Nigerians at the right time. The most important thing, and I think you are fully aware of this, is that I cannot and I will not be associated with a situation whereby any group of people is promoting a religion above another. I think all of us have gone past the stage of religious politics in this country. We must treat the Muslim community with utmost respect and we must that Christian community in the same way and even the non-religious”

The Ultimate Warrior Dead at 54- WWE

The news comes days after his induction and his return to the company after an 18-year breakup.

A WWE statement read: “WWE is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the most iconic WWE superstars ever, The Ultimate Warrior. …

We are grateful just days ago, Warrior had the opportunity to take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame and was able to appear at WrestleMania 30 and Monday Night Raw to address his legions of fans. WWE sends its sincere condolences to Warrior’s family, friends and fans.”

Warrior was born James Brian Hellwig, but legally changed his name to Warrior in 1993. He is survived by his wife Dana and daughters Indiana and Mattigan, who had accompanied him to the podium at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday night in New Orleans.

He was known for his energetic style, sprinting down the aisle to the ring; violent shaking of the ropes to psych himself up; and unique interview style that left fans captivated or confused, and often both.