77% Nigerian women use skin bleaching cream -NAFDAC

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said that 77 percent of Nigerian women use skin bleaching creams.

This was disclosed by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye at Media Sensitization Workshop on Dangers of Bleaching Creams and Regulatory Controls, held in Kano yesterday.

In her address at the opening of the workshop, Prof. Adeyeye said a World Health Organization (WHO) study in 2018 had revealed that Nigeria has the highest prevalence of use of skin bleaching cream in Africa.

Prof. Adeyeye said the study placed Nigeria highest above African countries with 77%,

2023: Journalists charged to be apolitical

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Media practitioners in Nigeria have been advised to remain apolitical by adhering to the ethics of the profession.

This call was made by a University don Prof. Andrew Ijwo at a conference/meeting organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Zone D in Makurdi on Thursday with the theme, ‘the role of the Media in enhancing peaceful election and Democratic participation’.

The guest speaker noted that just as the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, is expected to be an impartial umpire in the electoral process, so do the mass media.

He stressed that the media should be pluralist and reflect the diversities of their societies, giving access to various points of views.

Togo 59%, South Africa 35% and Senegal with 27%.

According to her, the menace of use of skin bleaching creams has become a national health emergency which requires concerted effrots to eradicate.

“So you can see, we have a work cut across us, meaning

NAFDAC and states. This scary statistics have shown that the menace of use of skin bleaching creams has become a national health emergency in Nigeria that requires a multifaceted regulatory approach.

“Part of the approach is consultative and sensitization meeting like this. Another is heightened raid on the cream outlets.

“It is therefore an honor to declare open, this sensitization workshop. I urge you to spread the knowledge acquired here to the general public,” she said.

The DG described media as i dispensable to the agency’s war against skin bleaching creams, which it commenced since last year. She bowed that NAFDAC would not rest on its ores until it eradicate the menace of use of bleaching creams or reduce it to the bestest minimum.

Fuel/Naira scarcity: PNYF commends Sanwo-Olu 50 percent discount on state-owned buses

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

Agroup, Patriotic Nigeria Youth Forum (PNYF) has commended the Lagos State Governor, Babajide SanwoOlu for a 50 per cent reduction in fares on all public transport services in the state for the next week.

Recalls that Sanwo-Olu announced a 50 percent reduction in the prices of all state-owned transport services.

The transport services include bus rapid transit (BRT), Lagos ride taxis, ferries, and other transportation services in the state.

The gesture comes amid the lingering petrol and cash scarcity, which has subjected residents of the state to biting hardship.

Commending the governor shortly after the announcement, the National Coordinator of PNYF, Comrade (Amb) Olamide Odumosu described the order as a kind gesture.

Odumosu stated that people are going through a lot, from the scarcity of fuel to and scarcity of naira. In as much as the policy is good for our economy, it should not come this when Nigerians are preparing for the election.

In his word: “This is the kind of quality leadership Lagosian deserve, at every point of hardship, Sanwo -Olu is always there to serve its people better. He has demonstrated it in the past, for instance during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now he is doing it again”.

While speaking on the forthcoming election, he said Sanwo-Olu has beyond a reasonable doubt, proved his mettle to lead Lagos State to greater heights based on his administration’s commitment to infrastructural development, the success in tackling coronavirus, strategic solutions to traffic gridlock, as well as key interventions in various sectors in the state.

“We particularly are proud of his commitment to infrastructural development and the excellent manner in which he is transportation challenges, which is becoming the template for other states to copy.

“We must also mention that through the course of the period in which our country battled with the coronavirus pandemic and economic recession, Sanwo-Olu ensured that the state remained well above the curve economically and also ensured that workers did not miss their salary for one day,” he said.

He also laud Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for establishing food banks in various parts of the State for distribution of food items to vulnerable families hit by the lingering crisis.

”I want to commend SanwoOlu for making every effort to ensure that underprivileged Lagosian are taken care of during these trying times. We really thank him for his good work.

“This is the first of its kind in Nigeria.Out of 36 states no any Governor is doing this except only Lagos State government,it is on this premises we are commending the him”.