FG to begin local production of human vaccines for disease control (Read full details)

Federal Government yesterday announced plans to commence local production of human vaccines in the country.

The plan, according to Director General of National Biotechnology Development Agency, Prof. Lucy Ogbadu is in keeping with the government’s desire to be actively engaged in local production of products.

These products, the director general said, include medicals. She said the vaccines would be useful in preventing and controlling diseases among humans.

Appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology for defence of the ministry’s 2016 budget spending, Mrs Ogabadu said the agency is partnering with relevant stakeholders to put in place a policy document on development and business plan that will guarantee sustainable human vaccine production in the country.

“We are collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Immunisation Funding Task Force to come up with a joint action plan that can support local production of vaccines.

“Some years back in the 60s, Nigeria produced vaccines but it folded up. This time, we are committed to it and do not want to repeat the same mistakes. So, we want everything to be in place this time around.

“The agency is committed to ensuring that the improved varieties get to the farmers for utilisation,” she said.

Ogbadu, however, solicited the support of the legislature in allocating funds for the development of bio resource development centres across the country.

She said that out of the 26 centres currently existing, nine are old while the 17 new ones were yet to take off.

According to her, most of them are in the process of land acquisition and clearing to put up buildings meant for the centres.

Ogbadu revealed that the agency would develop sustainable models to ensure that research findings attract investments.

In her remarks, Chairman House Committee on Science and Technology, Hon. Beni Lar urged the agency to find ways of developing industrial chemicals so as to generate more revenues.

“It doesn’t make sense that the country is spending so much foreign exchange to import industrial chemicals in the country.

“Chemicals we import should be locally made, we have the capacity and should take it seriously,” Lar said.

She pledged the desire of the legislature to looking into the agency’s 2017 budget proposal of N1. 8 billion in a bid to determining areas of collaboration for its upwards review and optimum utilization.

Reps probe Jonathan’s N9.2b clean stove contract (Read full details)

Goodluck Jonathan

Query ministry over N100m generating set purchase

The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to probe the N9.2 billion contract on clean stove for rural women, awarded when former President Goodluck Jonathan was at the helm. The panel would determine whether the contract was fully executed.

Adopting a motion initiated by Mr. James Abiodun Faleke, the House mandated its Committees on Anti-Corruption and Environment and Habitat to investigate the details of the contract, the number of units supplied, their mode of distribution and names of beneficiaries on a state-by-state basis.

At the plenary session presided over by Speaker Yakubu Dogara, the lawmakers directed the committees to confirm the status of the balance of N3.7 billion, which was outstanding from the initial payment to the federal ministry of environment and report back to the House within six weeks.

Faleke (Ikeja: Lagos: APC) claimed that he was aware that Messrs.’ Integra Energy Renewable Services Ltd was awarded the contract for the supply of the 20 million units and was paid the sum of N1.3 billion out of the N5 billion released by the federal ministry of environment as mobilisation fee, allegedly without due process.

He however, expressed concern that less than 750,000 units were reportedly assembled and delivered at the velodrome of the National Stadium, Abuja and commissioned by former vice president Namadi Sambo without any beneficiary physically present or later being given the stove.

In another of its oversight function, it was a rowdy session as members of the House Committee on Information and National Orientation queried the ministry officials for allegedly purchasing seven generators when approval was given for only two at the cost of N100 million.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Permanent secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba explained that the ministry purchased two 250KVA generators for the ministry and five smaller ones for five of its information centres in some states.

However, Chairman of the Committee, Olusegun Odebunmi accused the ministry of committing illegality, because the ministry had requested for an approval to purchase only two generators and does not have the powers for virement. “Purchasing the smaller generators is a different sub-head for you to move from one sub head to another, you ought to have come to the National Assembly for approval,” he said.

Reps probe Jonathan’s N9.2b clean stove contract

Smartphone market to be worth $355 billion in 2020 (Read full details)

• 30% penetration in Nigeria

There has been appreciable growth in smartphone penetration across the globe, with the market worth expected to hit $355 billion by 2020. According to a new study from IHS Markit, the global smartphone installed base will grow from four billion devices in 2016, to more than six billion smartphones in use by 2020.   
 
Globally, smartphones and tablets already account for more than 60 per cent of smart connected consumer devices, which is up from around 17 per cent in 2008, according to the company. Some regions are smarter than others – for instance, smartphones and tablets apparently make up more than 80 per cent of connected devices in Africa and the Middle East.
 
Indeed, in Nigeria, as at third quarter of 2016, smartphone penetration, according to Africa Infotech Consulting (AIC) was 30 per cent with features phones having 70 per cent penetration.

 
The impact of the smartphone is its ability to bridge the technology and infrastructure gap that exists in the developing world. Besides, access to mobile technology, and increasingly affordable smartphones, offers incredible promise and economic opportunities for individuals and companies globally.  
  
According to Ian Fogg, a director at IHS Technology, “Mobile innovations, new business models and mobile technologies are transforming every adjacent market as the mobile industry diversifies from the maturing smartphone market, “revenues for smartphones shipped in 2020 will total $355 billion.
 
“We’ve already seen over the past few years how OTT messaging apps offering free or low cost communications have disrupted traditional telco SMS-based business models and their transition into providing wider service, commerce and device platforms threaten further disruption.”
  
IHS said that these apps, such as Line and WhatsApp, boasted an aggregate audience of more than five billion active user accounts at the end of 2016. This is expected to grow to almost 7.5 billion by 2020. Africa and the Middle East will be the fastest-growing region at an average rate of 10 per cent to 2020, ahead of the global average eight per cent rate.
 
On the subject of apps, IHS believes that global consumer spending on mobile apps is set to reach $74 billion by 2020, up from $54 billion in 2016. Africa, the Middle East and Latin America will be the fastest-growing regions for mobile app spend. Africa and the Middle East are expected to grow at an average rate of 18 per cent each year to 2020.
  
According to the Director at IHS Technology, Jack Kent, Latin America will see an average growth rate of 23 per cent compared with the global eight per cent average yearly rate.

“Africa, the Middle East and Latin America will be the fastest- growing regions in the next four years. There are many opportunities for new apps, mobile payments and mobile money services. Asia, notably, will continue to play the number one role in the global apps market – accounting for more than 50 per cent of consumers’ spending. ”
 
Those companies looking at the potential opportunity of mobile payments and mobile money services need to realise that it’s already a thriving sector. There were more than 120 million active mobile money accounts in emerging markets in 2016, according to the IHS Technology analysis. The number of addressable smartphones for device based payment services will increase from 2.7 billion in 2016 to more than five billion by 2020.

Smartphone market to be worth $355 billion in 2020

Tunisia to battle Zimbabwe for quarterfinal spot (Read full details)

Tunisia's midfielder Youssef Msakni (L) challenges Senegal's forward Sadio Mane during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations group B football match between Tunisia and Senegal in Franceville on January 15, 2017. KHALED DESOUKI / AFP

Tunisia will be hoping to bag their second successive Group B match when they take on Zimbabwe in the AFCON today at the Stade de L’Amitie in Gabon.

The Carthage Eagles are aware that a win for them could change their fortunes as far as the knockout stage qualification is concerned.

Having lost their opening match to Senegal, they managed to bounce back to beat the Desert Warriors 2-1 in their second tie last Thursday.

They now sit second in the group with three points, but their mission to reach the knockout stages is not over as they face a challenging task against the Warriors.

Although this will be the second match between the two nations, both countries will be targeting a win as the 1998 clash ended in a 1-1 draw.

Coach Henryk Kasperczak will pin his hopes on campaigners such as Youssef Msakni and Naim Slit, who played well against the Desert Warriors.

“I am very happy after getting a win against a good side like Algeria, which was important, especially after we lost our first game, not because we played badly but because we missed numerous chances and made mistakes,” Kasperczak said.

The Warriors are facing an early exit and are under pressure to register a win as they wrap up their group stage campaign.

Looking at their last two outings, they drew 2-2 against the Desert Warriors and succumbed to a 2-0 loss at the hands of Senegal on Thursday.

They now sit at No 4 on the group table with one point having conceded four goals and will want to stun the Tunisians.

Tunisia to battle Zimbabwe for quarterfinal spot

PLASIEC partners police for hitch-free council election (Read full details)

Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) has said that it is working round the clock to ensure a hitch-free and credible election in the forthcoming local government election.

Although a date is yet to be fixed for the election, the state House of Assembly approved a six-month extension of the councils’ tenure starting from January this year.

Chairman of PLASIEC, Mr. Fabian Ntung stated this yesterday when he led management of the commission on a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police in charge of the state, Mr. Peter Ogunyanwo in his office.

The commission chairman, who commended security agencies for maintaining peace in the state, stressed that the role of the police in electoral process is of paramount importance.

Besides, he noted that democracy is always anchored on peace and security especially the role of the police, who contributes immensely to the internal security of the nation, adding: “For anything to be done democratically in a democracy, the role of the police is vital and cannot be wished away.”

Ntung said that they were in the office of the police commissioner to seek ways of collaboration and assistance as the celectoral body prepares for local government elections.

According to him, the police would be required to forestall anything that would tamper with the peaceful conduct of the election in the state.

Responding, the police boss thanked the commission for the visit, promising to support and collaborate with them in order to hold a free, fair and peaceful local government election.

Ogunyanwo urged the commission to educate politicians and the electorate on electoral processes.

Meanwhile, the state attorney general and commissioner for Justice, Mr. Jonathan Mawiyau disclosed that they arranging to ensure that the passage of robust laws to the benefits of its citizens.

He contended that the measure has become necessary because most of the laws of Northern Nigeria, which is also applicable in the state, need to be reviewed.

He hinted that though a private firm was hired to that effect, the ministry had to step in to facilitate the process.

Mawiyau expressed the hope that work on some of the outdated laws may be completed on some of the laws next week, with many more likely to be concluded by the end of the first quarter of the year.

He called on the people to have confidence in the administration, assuring that the ministry as it is poised to enact laws that will enhance good governance and promote the wellbeing of the people.

PLASIEC partners police for hitch-free council election