NEWS 13
1HEGUARDIAN.Wednesda}\Februaty23,2011
News
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South Africa deports 27 Nigerians
By Wol. Shadar. 'TWENlY-SEVEN Nigerians 1 were yesterday deported to the country from South Africa. The deportees were brought into the country in a chartered plane marked ZS~AT with flight number GBB130, which touched down at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport at noon. According to Nigerian Immigration SelVices (NIS) sources, the 27 deportees - 26 males and one female - were expelled from South Africa back into the country based on immigrations-related offences. South African law enforcement agents accompanied the deportees on the flight back home. They were handed over to NIS officials and other Nigerian law enforcement agents who were on ground to receive the deportees. Yesterday deportation brought the number of Nigerians deported to the country in the last one week to about 200. __ ,.Hilt _ _
From Chari•• OgulbuaJa, Owerri TVliSlDENT Goodluck CJonathan and his deputy, Namadi Sambo, will arrive in Imo State today to address the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally. . The President and Sambo are also expected to take their campaign train to Abia tomorrow Imo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Kezie Ogaziechi, in a statement, . said Jonathan and Samba are expected to address the PDP rally at Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, at 1 p.m. . Later in the day, the President will attend a fund-raising ceremony for his campaign at the Imo Concorde Hotel, OWerri. Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji and thesenator representing Abia' -North, Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, have urged reSidents to turnout en mass to welcome the President and his deputy tomorrow fi1t LJ U}i£!'m].
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NRC completes lagos-Jebba ra~ project By Yotunda Eboael. "I1lE Nigerian Railway lCorporation (NRC) yesterday announced the completion of 488-kilometre LagosJebba rail rehabilitation project handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECq . Already, according to NRC, a trial run has been conducted on the rajlline. It was observed by officials from the Civil Engineering Department of the corporation, consultants on the project, CCECC personnel and Federal Ministry of Transport (FMOT) officials. Public Relation Officer, NRC, TimothySegun Esan, explained yestercl.1y tfiat the Chinese contractors bad been directed to effect sFot renewal on a few areas 0 the track in order to facilitate its official commisSioning next month and "subsequent resumption of traffic."
Bio-safety law critical to food security, says Boroffice From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja nONEER Director~eneral C of the National Space Research and Development Agency, Prof. Robert Ajayi Boroffice, has charged the Senate to pass the National Bio-safety Bill to enable Nigeria solve its food security issues. . Boroffice, who spoke with The Guardian in Abuja, also called on Nigeria to domesticate outstanding international space laws, especially the one that empowers pnvate individuals to own Ni~eria. satellites in According to him, 'there are some space laws that we need to domesticate. There is also the bio-safety law that we have not passed.
There are some space laws that we need to domesticate, There is also the bio-safety law that we have not passed, Our failure to pass this law will hamper our development. It affects the way people look at us internationally. There are accepted laws internationally that we need to pass and be part of the global technology world. Our failure to pass this law will hamper our development. It affects the way people look at us internationally. There are accepted laws internationally that we need to pass and be part of the ~lobal technOlogy world. He added: "I was party to the bio-safety bill at the gestational penod when I was
at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) long ago. I have not seen the details of the law proposed to NASS in its current state, but I think that it will definitely impact on the economy. "For instance, if you want to bring in genetically modified organisms (GMOs),
these are the things that are specified in the bio-safety laws. If you want to increase food production and eliminate scarcity, you can not do without the bill. I am one of those who advocate for the use of GMOs, even though some people are scared. Without bio-safety regulation, we cannot practice this. There are also certain procedures that we have to follow to man!pulate certain organisms. . Boroffice, who is also aspiring to the Senate in the April elections, promised to work with his colleagues, if elected, to ensure that relevant laws that encourage and promote science, technology and innovation are
passed. . He said: "There are also some international laws that we have not domesticated, especially in the area of space Science. For instance, we are talking about astronauts or ownership of launch risks. If there is disaster when launching a satellite, it is the state that is liable not the company. We have to domesticate international laws that make companies involved also liable." On satellite ownership, Boroffice said: "So far, it is only the state that is involved in satellite ownership in Nigeria but individuals may also be interested in the ~rocurement of satel· lites.
Across-seClion of AClion Congress of Nigeria's supporters ala raUy by Ihe party's governorship candidale in Dgun SIal., Ibikunle Amosun, al Ake Palace in Abeokula ... yeslerday.
Mimiko opens N800m Fawehinmi health centre Late legal icon's son, others lament poor state of health infrastructure From
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"I1lE failure of the Nigerian Istate to provide quality healthcare services for the citIzenry 50 years after independence was the focal-point of discourse yesterday in Ondo at the commissioning of an N800 million Gani Fawehinmi Health Diagnostic Centre built in the memory of the late legal icon and rights activist by the state govemment The emotional words of the wheelcbair-baund Mohammed Fawehinmi, son of the late legal icon, that he would have been standing on his feet and that Gani "would not have died the way and time he did" had there been enough care from the state for the citizens, engendered poignant silence In the event's audience that induded members of the Fawehinmi family, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and human rights community.
Fawehlnmi was initially misdiagnosed of pneumonia before he was later, albeit too late, discovered to be suffering from cancer of the lungs. Mohammed, who sustained spinal cord injury in an auto-, mobile accident in Lagos, said· he was unable to gain prompt access to a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine that would have assisted doctors In offering him adequate treatment to avoid his being confined to the wheelchair. . Governor Olusegun Mlmiko had pledged to build the dlagnostic centre during Fawehinmi's burial "to prevent avoidable losses of our citizens." Speaking at the event, which was held as part of the second year anniversary of his administration, Mimiko said the centre would provide unfettered access to good medical services for residents of the state. The governor said: "This centre parades state-of-the-art
Mimiko diagnostic equil'ment that can diagnose aiseases of unimaginable kind and at unbelievable accuracy, . "When this centre is soon complemented with the Trauma Centre and Highway Emergency Medical Service that Will be specially staffed and equipped to handle lifethreatening injuries such as
When this centre is soon complemented with the Trauma Centre and Highway Emergen,cy . , ·r'. Medical Service that will be specially staffed and equipped to handle life-threatening injuries such as multiple gunshot wounds, automobile accidents and other severe internal injuries, this stretch of facilities will become a veritable resort of medical tourism that will compare favourably with best operating practices in medically-advanced countries of the world, multiple gunshot wounds, automobile accidents and other severe internal injuries, this stretch of facilities will become a veritable resort of medical tourism that will compare favourably with best operating practices in medically-adVanced countries of the world." . Mimiko disclosed that 85 Basic Health Centre5 have been built across the state's 18 local councils "to tackle the poor health indices of the state while the state health workers were the first to enjoy
new salary scale in the Sout!<. West of the country . The centre, which foundatlon was laid on April2~, 2010, was built in collaboration with the private sector and is under tlie management of Mecure Sunshine Healthcare limited. It is equipiJed with state-ofthe-art facilities in health diagnosis like MRI, Computerised Tomographic Scan, Digital X-Ray and connected with other advanced health-related institutions across the world.