NEWS
No short shelf doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria — FG
The Federal Government says that there are no short shelf doses of COVID-19 vaccine donations in the country.
The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, said this in Abuja, at the official handover of about 2.6 million doses of Johnson Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
Shuaib said that the vaccines were now promptly shipped and distributed through the COVAX and AVAT facilities to reduce the risk of expiration.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the vaccines were donated to Nigeria by the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb Jamie Christoff.
Following the expiration of one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria, the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, announced that the country would no longer accept vaccines with short shelf life.
The committee had said that such vaccines mounted undue pressure on health workers to administer them.
It also took the decision to destroy one million of such vaccines publicly, to assure Nigerians that there was no intention to use them.
Shuaib said that donors now recognised the need to give away vaccines before their expiration dates.
According to him, they have also created a pathway for prompt shipment and distribution through the COVAX and AVAT facilities to curb the risk of expiration.
“There is now better coordination, and the COVID-19 vaccines in the country are not expired nor have short shelf lives.
“The Federal Government, through the NPHCDA and other partners, has continued to ensure that the country received vaccines with a long expiration date,” he said.
He said that 62 million vaccine doses were available in the country at the moment, adding that 40 million more were being expected.
While commending the Government of Canada for providing “the much-needed support”, shuaib said that the donation was critical to helping the country ramp up its vaccination rollout process.
“Johnson & Johnson offers a single-dose opportunity for full vaccination, which means if you take one dose of the vaccine, you are regarded as a fully vaccinated person.
“However, we strongly recommend a booster dose after 2 months of taking the initial dose to strengthen your level of immunity against COVID-19.
“A second dose of the vaccine serves as the booster dose,” he said.
According to him, “we are in a full campaign mode in which COVID-19 vaccines are ready-made available in the health facilities and other designated places.
“They are also brought by our vaccination teams to your doorsteps. We are leveraging on our polio eradication experience to fight COVID-19.
He expressed confidence that with the kind of support received from the Canadian Government, Nigeria would sooner than expected, be able to put COVID-19 behind.
On the SCALES 3.0 strategy, Shuaib said it offered opportunities for childhood vaccination and other Primary Health Care (PHC) services for Nigerians alongside the COVID-19 vaccination.
“Parents can take their eligible children for vaccination against polio, yellow fever, measles and other vaccine-preventable childhood diseases in the same locations where the adults receive COVID-19 vaccines.
“Our mobile teams are also in possession of all these vaccines when they visit your homes.
“Please welcome them and present yourselves and your eligible children for vaccination as may be applicable,” he said.
Christoff, while donating the vaccines, said it was his first assignment as an Ambassador to Nigeria.
The Ambassador recalled that the Canadian Government had earlier donated more than 800,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Nigeria.
He said that the donation was in fulfilment of his country’s commitment to supporting developing countries in ramping up vaccination against the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, in 2020, the world was faced with the challenge to develop an effective vaccine.
“In 2021, the challenges evolved to the production and distribution of the vaccines. Today in 2022, we need to put this vaccine within people’s reach,” he said.
Dr Eduardo Celades Blanco, UNICEF Nigeria Chief of Health, used the opportunity to call on eligible Nigerians who were yet to be vaccinated to do so.
“If we keep up with the vaccination, the likely scenario is that even though the virus continues to evolve, the severity of the disease will reduce over time.
“Immunity increases due to vaccination,” he said.
While appreciating the Canada for the donation, he said the gesture came at a time it was most needed.
He commended the recent MIC/NIC survey on vaccination, stressing that in spite of the pandemic, the country was only one of the few globally that recorded improved Immunisation coverage.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, also commended the country’s COVID-19 mass vaccination strategy.
Mulombo was represented by Dr Kofi Boateng, EPI Focal Point, Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
He said that other African countries were already looking up to Nigeria to learn how to roll out their vaccinations campaign.
NAN reports that as of Thursday, 40.7 million eligible persons have received the first dose of vaccines, while 28.6 million persons fully vaccinated.
This represents 25.6 per cent of the eligible population.
Meanwhile, 2.6 million fully vaccinated persons have received their booster doses.
Also, the SCALES 3.0 strategy enjoins the 36 states of the federation and the FCT to step up intensive actions to ensure that every eligible adult and child is vaccinated.
The Federal Government has also designed a performance-based incentive to improve the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines and other PHC services in the states and the communities.
NEWS
FG To Mandate Acceptance of Corps Members In All Gov’t Agencies
The Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has disclosed that the Federal Government will soon issue a directive mandating all government agencies and parastatals to accept corps members posted to them under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Olawande addressed concerns over the rejection of corps members despite the government’s recent decision to lift restrictions on their deployment to private sector organizations.
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He said, “Let them post them first, then we would tackle the rejection. In part of the memo we sent to the NYSC, we clearly stated that there is no barrier. Before now, there was a barrier that corps members could not be posted to certain places.
“Banks come and take them now. If you don’t have experience in banking, how do you want to know that you are good at accounting or whatever? This is also part of how you should learn whatever you studied.”
Olawande revealed that the ministry plans to submit a memo to President Bola Tinubu, requesting an executive order to compel all government agencies and parastatals to accept corps members assigned to them.
“It is a process; we can’t do everything at once. The one in our capacity, we have thrown it out. So, on the barrier, we are also waiting. I know about that too. We will work, and that is why teamwork is good,” the minister added.
Biztellers reports that the Federal Government on November 19, 2024, lifted a longstanding restriction that limited corps members’ postings to public sector institutions.
This policy change now permits the deployment of corps members to private organizations, including banks and oil companies, to broaden their professional exposure.
Olawande also addressed concerns about the delay in implementing the new N77,000 monthly allowance for corps members. While confirming the increase, he assured that the process is nearing completion.
“It is a process. When the government increases so and so, it will follow a process. We are in the process; very soon they will see it. It is not rocket science.
“It has been increased; nobody is saying it has not been increased. But the implementation is in process. And very soon, we are at the tip of it, it is going to start, and we will implement it perfectly,” he stated.
The minister’s remarks come as the government intensifies efforts to address challenges within the NYSC program and enhance the overall experience of corps members, ensuring their contributions to both public and private sectors are maximized.
NEWS
Nigeria’s Unemployment Rate Drops To 4.3% In Q2 2024 – NBS
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has announced a significant drop in Nigeria’s unemployment rate, which fell to 4.3% in the second quarter of 2024, down from 5.3% in the first quarter.
The data was revealed in the Nigeria Labour Force Survey (NLFS) report for Q2 2024, released on Monday.
The report highlighted improvements across several labor market indicators.
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The labor force participation rate among the working-age population rose to 79.5% in Q2 2024, compared to 77.3% in Q1.
Similarly, the employment-to-population ratio climbed to 76.1%, an increase of 2.9 percentage points from the 73.2% recorded in the first quarter.
On a year-on-year basis, however, the employment-to-population ratio saw a slight decline from 77.1% in Q2 2023.
The NBS also noted a reduction in the combined unemployment and time-related underemployment rate, which fell to 13% in Q2 2024 from 15.3% in Q1.
Urban vs. Rural Unemployment
A closer look at the data revealed disparities in urban and rural unemployment rates.
The unemployment rate in urban areas was 5.2% in Q2 2024, nearly double the 2.8% recorded in rural areas.
Youth and Education Employment Metrics
The youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) stood at 6.5% in Q2 2024, while unemployment among individuals with secondary education was slightly higher at 7.6%.
The report also showed that 12.5% of youth were not in education, employment, or training (NEET), with a higher proportion of females than males in this category.
Informal Sector Employment
Informal employment remained dominant in the Nigerian labor market, accounting for 93% of jobs. Additionally, 3.7% of the working-age population was engaged in subsistence agriculture.
Time-Related Underemployment Declines
The time-related underemployment rate dropped to 9.2% in Q2 2024 from 10.6% in the previous quarter, marking continued progress in addressing labor underutilization.
NEWS
Saraki Celebrates Atiku On His 78th Birthday
Nigeria’s former Senate President, Abubakar Saraki has eulogised his political ally, Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who attained 78 years on Monday.
The former governor of Kwara State took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Monday to laud the political strides of the Adamawa born political stalwart.
In his view, Atiku is “a compassionate servant of the people whose lifelong dedication to the nation’s progress and unity has earned him the admiration of Nigerians across the globe”.
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Saraki wrote, “His Excellency, Alhaji @Atiku Abubakar, stands as a compassionate servant of the people whose lifelong dedication to the nation’s progress and unity has earned him the admiration of Nigerians across the globe.
“As he marks his 78th birthday today, my family and I join all Nigerians in extending our warmest wishes for a very happy birthday. We pray that Almighty Allah (SWT) continues to bless him with good health, strength, and wisdom to sustain his invaluable service to our nation. Ameen.”