16022021 - Nigeria’s security architecture being re-jigged — SERVICE CHIEFS

8 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2021
:Vanguard News
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AGREEMENT: From left; Executive Vice-Chairman, Onward Paper Mill, Mr Oluwaseyi Obagun; MD, Tetra
Pak West Africa, Mr Aruna Oshiokamele; Chairman, Onward Paper Mill, Mr Kunle Obagun and Mr David
Harper; Non-Executive Director, Onward Paper Mill at the signing ceremony of the recycling agreement between
Tetra Pak West Africa and Onward Paper Mill, in Lagos.
COVID-19: FG to vaccinate 109m Nigerians
in 2yrs
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA — The Federal
Government has expressed
its readiness to vaccinate
approximately 109 million
Nigerians against
COVID-19 in the next two
years.
While Nigeria’s population
stands at over 206 million, the
country has just over 60, 000
vaccinators, with the Nigerian
Primary Health Care Development
Agency, NPHCDA,
promising to boost the capacity
of the personnel and also
expand the size. Also, Nigeria
last Saturday recorded the
second highest number of
COVID-19 case fatalities, as
24 patients at its treatment
centres succumbed to the virus
within 24 hours.
This came as government
said it has scaled up surveillance
against the Ebola Virus
Disease at all its entry points
in order to guard against importation
of the disease.
Speaking at yesterday’s
briefing of the Presidential
Taskforce PTF on COVID-19,
Executive Director of the
NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib,
said the Federal Government
will work with the states to
vaccinate all eligible population
from 18 years and above
including pregnant women.
“However, the decision to
vaccinate any pregnant
woman would be made in
consultation with her
healthcare provider. There
will be consideration as to
whether she is at high risk of
contracting the COVID-19 or
not and if she is a frontline
health worker, support staff or
responder in the security architecture
of our country. In
the end, we have to weigh the
benefits versus the risks.
“After excluding those that
are under 18 years, we plan to
vaccinate approximately 109
million Nigerians who will be
eligible for COVID-19 vaccination
over the course of two
years. Additionally, the federal
government has received the
commitment of about 1.5
million and a hundred thousand
doses of Astrazeneca
vaccine from MTN and the
Government of India respectively.
“All eligible population
have been identified using the
WHO Vaccine Allocation
Framework and the
Prioritization Roadmap as
well as the Disease Burden
Data from the NCDC. These
•NAFDAC evaluating Russia’s Sputnik V
•Nigeria records 24 deaths in 24hrs, scales up
surveillance on Ebola
criteria are the frontline
health workers, their support
staff including those who
work in high risk areas such
as the Points of Entry, Rapid
Response Teams, Contact
Tracing Teams, COVID-19
Vaccination Teams and Strategic
Leadership. People aged
50 years and above; people
aged 18-49 years with significant
comorbidities and additional
at-risk groups. In order
to facilitate the implementation
process, the Technical
Working Group has come up
with a strategy of pre-registration
and scheduling of the
target population to avoid
overcrowding at vaccination
posts”, said Shuaib.
Sputnik V
Minister of Health, Dr
Osagie Ehanire, on his part
said the National Agency for
Food, Drug Administration
and Control, NAFDAC, has
taken delivery of “dossiers” of
the Russian vaccine, Sputnik
V and others from India and
China, with a view to evaluating
and certifying them fit or
otherwise for human consumption.
Ehanire added that
vaccines carry some amount
of risks and warned Nigerians
against patronizing those
that have not been certified.
He said: “The National
Agency For Drug Administration
and Control (NAFDAC)
has received dossiers for Sputnik
V vaccine of Russia,
Covishield or Astra Zeneca
manufactured under license
by Serum Institute of India,
Covaxin by Bharat vaccines
of India and the Sinopharm
Vaccine of China, for evaluation
and validation for use in
Nigeria. Some of them are
nearly ready for results.
“It is important to stress that
all COVID-19 vaccines carry
a certain amount of risk and
any vaccines not approved by
the Federal Ministry of
Health through its Agencies
cannot be used in Nigeria. The
government will not be responsible
for the safety or efficacy
of vaccines given outside
the framework of the Government.
All the needs of Nigeria
have been carefully calcu-
WTO confirms Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General
•Buhari, Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Okowa congratulate
Okonjo-Iweala
By Peter Egwuatu,
Yinka Kolawole,
Johnbosco Agbakwuru,
Levinus
Nwabughiogu ,
Festus Ahon , Levinus
Nwabughiogu-
&Tordue Salem
ABUJA — After nearly six
months without a
leader, the World Trade Organisation,
WTO, has announced
the appointment of
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as
the organization’s 7th Director-General
with effect from
March 1, 2021, making her
the first woman and the first
African to lead the global
trade bloc.
This is coming three months
after the Trump administration
of US rejected the former
Nigerian finance minister.
Her term, which is renewable,
will expire on August 31, 2025.
In a statement announcing
the appointment, WTO’s
General Council Chair, Amb.
David Walker of New Zealand
said: “This is a very significant
moment for the WTO. On
behalf of the General Council,
I extend our warmest congratulations
to Dr Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala on her appointment
as the WTO’s next
Director-General and formally
welcome her to this
General Council meeting.”
“On behalf of all members I
wish to sincerely thank you for
your graciousness in these exceptional
months, and for
your patience. We look forward
to collaborating closely
with you, and I am certain that
all members will work with
you constructively during
your tenure as Director-General
to shape the future of this
organization.
Walker who, together with
co-facilitators Amb. Dacio
Castillo (Honduras) and
Amb. Harald Aspelund (Iceland)
led the nine-month DG
selection process, extended his
thanks to all eight of the candidates
who participated in
the selection process and particularly
to Yoo “for her ongoing
commitment to and support
for the multilateral trading
system and for the WTO”.
Responding, Okonjo-
Iweala said a key priority for
her would be to work with
members to quickly address
the economic and health consequences
brought about by
the COVID-19 pandemic.
She stated: “I am honoured
to have been selected by WTO
members as WTO Director-
General. A strong WTO is vital
if we are to recover fully
and rapidly from the devastation
wrought by the COVID-
19 pandemic. I look forward
to working with members to
shape and implement the
policy responses we need to
get the global economy going
again. Our organization
faces a great many challenges
but working together we can
collectively make the WTO
stronger, more agile and better
adapted to the realities of
today.”
The General Council decision
follows months of uncertainty
which arose when the
United States initially refused
to join the consensus around
Okonjo-Iweala and threw its
support behind South Korea’s
Trade Minister Yoo Myunghee.
But following Yoo’s decision
to withdraw her candidacy
on 5th February, the
administration of newly
elected US President Joe
Biden dropped US objection
and announced instead that
Washington extends its
“strong support” to the candidacy
of Okonjo-Iweala.
lated by NPHCDA and it is
possible to accommodate all
interests in the framework.
“With regard to the African
Vaccine Acquisition Task
Team, AVATT, Nigeria this
morning completed her account
opening, signed by two
officials each, of the Ministry
of Health and the Ministry of
Finance, Budget and National
Planning, at Afrexim
Bank as a requirement for
access to vaccines on that platform,
which will give Nigeria
access to a much larger portfolio
and variety of vaccines.
“Among the vaccines are the
Johnson and Johnson single
dose vaccine and as much of
the Pfizer mRNA vaccines as
we can manage. The covid19
Vaccine Coordinatiing Committee
and NPHCDA’s strategy
for vaccine delivery will
advise the mix of vaccines that
Nigeria will acquire”.
Ebola Surveillance
Secretary to the Government
of the Federation SGF
and Chairman of the Presidential
Taskforce PTF on
COVID-19, Mr Boss
Mustapha, said Nigeria was
enhancing surveillance at its
entry points against the Ebola
Virus Disease. “The PTF is
also enhancing surveillance at
points of entry to respond to
recent outbreak of Ebola in
neighboring countries, especially,
Guinea and the Congo
DCR. We shall keep a keen eye
on it to avoid having to combat
with the two deadly diseases
at the same time. This is
not a task for Government
alone but for all Nigerians
and indeed all members of the
public have a role to play.
24 deaths in 24 hours
“There has been sustained
efforts by sub-national entities
and the FCT administration
to stem the tide against the
Buhari congratulates
Okonjo-Iweala
Meanwhile, President
Muhammadu Buhari has
felicitated with former Minister
of Finance and
Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala on her election as Director
General of the World
Trade Organisation, WTO.
This was contained in a
statement issued by the Senior
Special Assistant to the
President on Media and Publicity,
Garba Shehu in Abuja.
According to the statement,
“As the Harvard-educated
and renowned economist
takes up another onerous task
of service to the world and
humanity, the President believes
her track record of integrity,
diligence and passion
for development will continue
to yield positive results
and rewards to mankind.
“President Buhari affirms
that Dr Okonjo-Iweala, who
over the years set major
records of economic reforms
in Nigeria as Minister of Finance,
and later Minister of
Foreign Affairs, will excel in
her new position and validate
the global mandate of repositioning
and strengthening the
multilateral institution for the
greater good of all."
Lawan congratulates
Okonjo-Iweala
President of Senate,
Ahmad Lawan, also yesterday
congratulated the former
Minister of Finance, Dr.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her
emergence as the first African
and first female Director-
General of the WTO.
The President of the Senate
said, “I heartily rejoice with
Dr Okonjo-Iweala on this
well-deserved victory.
“With her latest feat, the
former Nigerian Minister of
Finance and Managing Director
of the World Bank has
again brought honour to Nigeria,
Africa and women everywhere.
"
Gbajabiamila congratulates
Iweala
Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila
also congratulated
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on
her emergence as the Director-General
of WTO.
second wave of the pandemic.
This is evident in the closure
of some facilities including
event centres, clubs, etc over
the violation of protocols. We
are glad with the direction of
the collaboration and enforcement
which we believe
will deter other would-be violators.
For the avoidance of
doubt, places of worship
should only have 50 per cent
of their capacity, indoor gatherings/meetings
should not
exceed 50 persons, at a time.
Southern, MBF
leaders fault
appointment of
Appeal Court
Justices
By Dapo Akinrefon
LAGOS — The Southern
and Middle Belt Leaders
Forum, yesterday, faulted
the latest list of nominated
candidates for appointment of
Court of Justices of the Court
of Appeal alleging that the list
has been compromised. The
Forum in a statement, entitled
‘’Compromised appointment
of Appeal Court Justices’’,
alleged that the list has
been compromised by politicians
at the Federal Judicial
Service Commission, FJSC.
The statement by Yinka
Odumakin (South West),
Chief Guy Ikoku (South East),
Senator Bassey Henshaw
(South-South) and Dr Isuwa
Dogo (Middle Belt), said “The
list was said to have been allegedly
compromised by politicians
at FJSC. This was also
said to been consequent upon
the rejection of the merit list
submitted to the commission
by the President of the Court
of Appeal, Justice Monica
Dongban-Mensem.
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
The Speaker noted that the
“former two-time Finance
Minister of Nigeria comes to
office with a wealth of experience
that spans several decades,
saying her track record
speaks volumes.”
Okonjo-Iweala’s
appointment, testament
of her competence
— Okowa
Delta State Governor, Senator
Ifeanyi Okowa, Monday,
said the appointment of Dr
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General
of WTO was a
testament to her competence
and experience as a renowned
economist and international
development expert.
“Her appointment is indeed,
a testament to your competence
and experience as a
renowned economist and international
development expert.
You went through a very
rigorous and competitive
process to emerge as the new
head at the WTO."