Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson More than 50,000 human lives have so far been lost to the rampaging coronavirus pandemic globally after Italy announced 760 new fatalities in 24 hours. In Nigeria, 10 new cases have been recorded with the total national figures now 184. The figure is rising on a daily basis. However, the good news in Nigeria is that 11 more people have recovered from the killer virus and have been discharged in Lagos State. With that, the total number of people discharged in the country is 20, with two deaths recorded. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State announced this…

Some people in Akwa Ibom have bashed the state Commissioner for Health over his attack, disclaiming the coronavirus pandemic cases on the state published by a Federal agency. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had on Wednesday, April 1, announced five coronavirus cases in Akwa Ibom. In a press release dated April 2, entitled: AKWA IBOM STATE COVID 19 UPDATE 3.0, Dr. Dominic Ukpong reacted “We observed a disturbing breach in the test and reporting procedure, Akwa Ibom State Government only heard about the test results in the news; the Director-General of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was…

By Akanimo Sampson Despite the rising food prices in Nigeria largely due to the coronavirus lockdown, in other parts of the world, food prices are on the downward slope. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says world food prices declined sharply in March, driven mostly by demand-side contractions linked to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the drop in global oil prices due mostly to expectations of economic slowdown as governments roll out restrictions designed to respond to the health crisis. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly traded food commodities, averaged…

Akwa Ibom Government has announced the prohibition of movements and hosting of events for 14 days in the state beginning from Friday, April 3. This is to enable the government to carry out a thorough process of contact and trace persons who may have been exposed to the five victims confirmed by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). In a statewide broadcast Thursday afternoon, Governor Udom Emmanuel explained that the Covid- 19 suspects, mostly healthcare professionals who are in good health with no symptoms, have been moved to the state isolation centres for proper management. “There will be no movement…

By Akanimo Sampson Sustainable water system technologies are substantially improving lives in the rural areas of Kenya. At Mukurwe-ini Technical Training Institute, Kenya’s Nyeri county, its motto “technology to empower humanity” has become reality. In this rural area, the lives of students, staff and surrounding communities have opened up a brighter future for many. Successes like theirs are what this year’s World Water Day celebration is all about. For years, water had been a real problem for the Institute and the neighbouring farming communities. The pre-existing distribution system was gravity-fed, forcing the Institute, located at the top of a hill, to…

By Akanimo Sampson Businesses now have new guidelines to help them support working families during this raging coronavirus crisis. Two United Nations agencies- the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)- issued the guidelines. The preliminary guidance urges employers to consider the impact of business decisions on workers’ families and to support greater social protection wherever possible. They say that extra support, particularly for those on low incomes, is essential to minimise the negative consequences of the outbreak for workers, employers, their families and children. Finding safe childcare, juggling work and care responsibilities at home, and…

By: Israel Umoh A yeoman’s job can be taxing. It can be good, hard and selfless. It is so because the yeoman is fighting a patriotic cause. The battle could cost his life. It could consume money even the peace and joy of the person. To succeed, the yeoman has to embrace teamwork spirit to achieve his definite goal. Olusegun Adeniyi enlisted into the Nigerian Army years ago least expected to do a yeoman’s job of fighting terrorism in his fatherland. Along the way, Boko Haram insurgency foisted on him, the opportunity to showcase his military prowess of attacking internal…

Akwa Ibom State in the South-South Region of Nigeria has recorded five of the 23 coronavirus cases announced Wednesday by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). So far, the total number of cases in Nigeria has jumped to 174. The NCDC said: “Twenty-three new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria; 9 in Lagos, 7 in the FCT, 5 in Akwa Ibom, 1 in Kaduna and 1 in Bauchi State. “As at 08:00 p.m 1st April there are 174 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. Nine have been discharged with two deaths.” The current statistics are as follows:…

By Akanimo Sampson The United Nations is currently up to avert price spikes and increased price volatility in food supply and demand. As countries are moving to enact measures aimed at halting the accelerating COVID-19 pandemic, the global body says “care must be taken to minimise potential impacts on the food supply or unintended consequences on global trade and food security.’’ Directors-General of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), QU Dongyu, World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and World Trade Organisation (WTO), Roberto Azevedo, made the plea in a joint statement. According to them, millions of people around the world depend on international…

By Akanimo Sampson The mission of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is to transform rural economies and food systems by making them more inclusive, productive, resilient and sustainable. It invests in millions of people who are most at risk of being left behind: poor, small-scale food producers, women, young people and other vulnerable groups living in rural areas. It is the only specialised global development organisation exclusively focused on and dedicated to transforming agriculture, rural economies and food systems. We target our support to reach the last mile and remotest areas, to help millions of rural people to-…