Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson Data from Mali by the Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (SWEDD) tend to show only 1.4 midwives for every 10,000 inhabitants.  According to the source, in 2016 there were 2,657 midwives and obstetric nurses in the entire country. That ratio falls well below the standard of 23 doctors, nurses or midwives per 10,000 people recommended by the World Health Organisation, WHO. In Mali, these services are particularly urgent because of the high number of vulnerable mothers and babies. According to a 2018 demographic survey, some 36 percent of adolescent girls in Mali had already begun childbearing.…

By Akanimo Sampson A gynaecologist in northwest South Sudan, Dr. Joseph Johnson, has said that the country is awash with horrific rape cases. “While I was in the office, they brought me a survivor. They told me she was raped by her own boyfriend,” he recently recalled. Johnson told the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) that the woman had been brutally beaten and required urgent medical attention. “It was serious. Her life was now in danger. We needed to do an urgent operation,” he said, pointing out that cases like this one are horrific – and are all too common.…

  As Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed the 2020 Budget into law, the state government stands to benefit from $3 million windfall from an international body. The assembly during its plenary on Thursday, December 5 passed the state 2020 appropriation bill of N597.73 billion. Recall that during a one-day public hearing on A bill to appropriate monies out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and Capital Development to the service of Akwa Ibom Government and for other matters connected therewith organised by House Committee on Appropraition and Finance on Monday, October 22, Mr. Akan Okon, the…

Marcus Rashford spoiled Jose Mourinho’s return to Old Trafford on Wednesday, scoring twice as Manchester United beat Tottenham 2-1 to end their former manager’s perfect start to his tenure at his new club. England forward put United in front early in the first half and converted a second-half penalty to restore their lead after Dele Alli’s exquisite equaliser as United leapfrogged Spurs in the Premier League table. Spurs went into the match two points ahead of United after their mini-revival under their new boss, who replaced the sacked Mauricio Pochettino at the London club last month. Struggling United had made their…

By Akanimo Sampson A new International Labour Organisation (ILO) report says more than $500 billion a year needs to be invested if countries are to meet a basic set of social protection measures known as a Social Protection Floor by 2030. According to the report, Measuring financing gaps in social protection for achieving SDG target 1.3: Global estimates and strategies for developing countries, spending on coverage needs to increase dramatically to achieve universal coverage of a basic set of social protection measures. This would include: Cash transfers to children, Maternity benefits for mothers with newborns, Disability benefits, and Old-age social…

By Akanimo Sampson Going by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) Digital Economy Report 2019, seven super platforms – Microsoft, followed by Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Tencent and Alibaba − account for two thirds of the total market value of the top 70 digital platforms. The report also highlights that just two countries, the United States and China, account for up to 90% of the market capitalization value of the world’s 70 largest digital platform companies. The first Istanbul Competition Forum heard in November that as economies become more digital, keeping them competitive and fair requires stronger…

After prolonged debates, apprehensions and agitations, the National Assembly, Tuesday, granted full financial, administrative and political autonomy to the 774 Nigerian local government councils. The National Assembly amended section 124 of the Constitution in which a sub-section makes the local councils, a full third tier government without undue interference from the state governments. Under Nigeria’s revenue-sharing formula for every month, the federal government takes the lion’s share of 52.68 percent from the federation account, the 36 states receive 26.72 percent, while the local government council collects 20.60 percent. Recall that the House of Representatives had last week approved the amendment…

The Senate has scrapped the provision establishing State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) in the Nigerian constitution. Under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the state governors are bestowed on power for the composition of SIEC as contained in Section 3 of Part II of the constitution. Unlike INEC that has an organisational structure mainly comprising Chairman and National Commissioners, SIEC is made up of a chairman and not less than five but not more than seven other persons of the constitution. By the amendment, the Senate has equally deleted section, thereby vesting the powers to…

By Akanimo Sampson                 Lila Milic is a transgender s#x worker. Going by her testimony, she has endured more than her share of mistreatment. Yet, she does not feel safe seeking care and protection in the one place that should be a safe haven for all. The health facility. Ms. Milic recently recounted to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia: “One time, when I was 24 years old, I was returning home when three clients intercepted me. They pushed me violently in their car and abused me, both mentally and sexually.” She was too…

The Federal Government has been ordered to recover pensions paid to former governors now serving as Senators and Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In a landmark judgment delivered on Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Lagos also directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN to challenge the legality of states’ pension laws permitting former governors and other ex-public officials to collect such pensions. The judgment by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo followed an application for an order of mandamus in suit number FHC/L/CS/1497/2017 brought by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). This…