BREAKING: Nigeria Declares Tuesday Public Holiday

The Federal Government (FG) of Nigeria has declared Tuesday, 20th November 2018 as public holiday to mark the Eid-El Maulud commemoration usually observed by the Islamic community glabally.

This was announced by the country's Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) in a statement signed by the permanent secretary, Dr. M.B Umar.

He urged all Muslim faithful to align themselves with the prophet’s teachings which border on piety, charity, tolerance and peaceful co-existence, among others.

Dambazau equally called on all Nigerians to uphold these virtues, with a view to overcoming the current national challenges facing the country.

He assured that “the Federal Government remains committed to the unity of the country and as such, will put adequate structures on ground towards ensuring that the forthcoming general elections are credible, free and fair.”

Analysis I Fellow Nigerians, Let's End Diabetes Now!

By Fred Doc Nwaozor

         

On November 14, the world over commemorated the 2018 World Diabetes Day. The day, which is an annual and international commemoration, was instituted in the year 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) to help in raising public awareness on the dangers and control of diabetes.

          

The day became an official United Nations (UN) Day in 2007 through the passage of the UN resolution. The day was chosen in honour of the birthday of Frederick Banting who along with Charles Best first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1921. The theme of this year’s anniversary is ‘The family and Diabetes’.

          

Diabetes is a lifelong medical condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. It’s often caused by the insufficiency or lack of the hormone known as insulin, which is produced by the pancreas – a gland found behind the stomach. The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by the aforementioned hormone.

         

When food is digested and enters the bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into the cells where it’s broken down to produce the required energy. So, if one is diagnosed with diabetes, it implies that his/her body is unable to break down glucose into energy, because there’s either not enough insulin to move the glucose or the insulin being produced doesn’t work properly.

         

There are two main types of diabetes namely: Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. The former is usually more delicate than the latter which is far more common. In Type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. As no insulin is produced, the victim’s glucose level increases, which can seriously damage his body’s organs.

         

Type 1 diabetes is often regarded as Insulin-dependent diabetes. It’s equally sometimes recognized as Juvenile diabetes or Early-onset diabetes, because it mostly develops before the age of forty or usually during the teenage years. If one is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, he would need insulin injections for the rest of his life. He would also need to pay very close attention to certain aspects of his lifestyle and health, to ensure that his blood glucose levels stay balanced at all times.

        

Type 2 diabetes takes place when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it cells don’t react to insulin. This type of diabetes is generally known as Insulin-resistant diabetes. Since Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition, the patient may eventually need medication mainly in the form of tablets. Type 2 diabetes is in most cases associated with obesity. Obesity-related diabetes is sometimes referred to as ‘maturity-onset’ diabetes owing to the fact that it is more common in older people.

         

During pregnancy, some women possess high levels of blood glucose, which makes their body unable to produce enough insulin to absorb it all. Such condition is known as gestational diabetes, and it affects up to 18 in 100 women during pregnancy. Pregnancy can as well make existing Type 1 diabetes worse.

          

Gestational diabetes can increase the risk of health problems developing in an unborn baby, therefore it’s very necessary for a pregnant woman to keep her blood glucose levels under control. It often develops during the second trimester of pregnancy and disappears after the baby is born. Women who suffer from gestational diabetes are at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

          

The general symptoms of diabetes, which usually take place simultaneously, include: feeling very thirsty; urinating more frequently than usual, particularly at night; feeling very tired; weight loss and loss of muscle bulk; cuts or wounds that heal slowly; blurred vision, caused by the lens of the eye becoming dry; and, itching around the private parts or frequent episodes of thrush.

          

Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days, whilst many people may have Type 2 diabetes for years without realizing it because the early symptoms tend to be friendly.

         

Survey shows that about 347 million people worldwide are presently suffering from diabetes. Worse still, almost half of the carriers do not know they have the disease. Many more people globally have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes. This is referred to as pre-diabetes.

           

If your blood sugar level is above the normal range, your risk of developing full-blown diabetes is increased. Thus, it’s absolutely very important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it would get progressively worse if left untreated.

          

In general, diabetes carriers are advised to eat healthily, drink enough water, participate in constant exercise, consistently take their routine drugs as well as carry out regular blood tests, in order to ensure that their blood glucose levels remain balanced. Among all, they are advised to maintain a very cordial relationship with their health experts.

         

As the global community marks the 27^th edition of the World Diabetes Day, let’s endeavour to live a life that would exonerate us from contracting this dreaded disease that has claimed millions of souls.

         

We can achieve this by ensuring that we consume balance diets, or by staying away from constant intake of starchy or sugary foods without supplementing them with other required classes of foods.

         

It has no cure but it can be prevented, or duly controlled if contracted. Think about it!

Comrade Nwaozor, a policy analyst & rights activist, 

writes via frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

TechDeck I How Feasible is Executive Order 5?

 By Fred Doc Nwaozor

       

President Muhammadu Buhari recently signed an executive order, prohibiting issuance of visa to foreign workers or experts whose skills are readily available in Nigeria.

         

The proclamation tagged Executive Order 5, which was endorsed on 5^th February 2018, is targeted to improve local content in public procurement in regard to science, engineering and technology in general.

         

It is expected to promote the application of science and technology with a view to achieving the country’s development and innovation goals across all sectors of the economy.

         

The president, pursuant to the authority vested in him by the 1999 Constitution, as amended, ordered that all procuring agencies shall give preference to Nigerian companies in the award of contracts in accordance with the Public Procurement Act 2007.

         

The order, however, stipulates that a situation where the required expertise is lacking within the country, procuring entities shall grant preference to foreign firms with a “demonstrable and verifiable plan for indigenous development prior to the award of such contracts”.

         

The document entitled ‘Presidential Executive Order 5 for planning and execution of projects, promotion of Nigerian content in contracts concerning science, engineering and technology components’ further directs ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) to engage indigenous professionals in the onward planning, design and execution of national security projects.

          

It’s always wholesome and ideal to consider the feasibility study of any newly introduced policies or whatever policy that’s being awaited, hence that of Executive Order 5 wouldn’t be exceptional if the government is really prepared to achieve its goals.

          

So, as Nigerians as a people celebrate the emergence of this order, as a tech expert and policy analyst, I wouldn’t shy away from dissecting some key parameters that are likely to pose as limitations on the lofty policy.

        

We need to take into cognizance that the Executive Order 5 is silent regarding the foreign skills already domiciled in the country. An order of this kind requires additional clauses to make it more elaborate and understandable for thorough effective implementation.

        

Since the order is reportedly meant to promote local content, I’m keenly interested in knowing what becomes the fate of the foreign firms established anywhere across the federation. We need to be intimated on how the new tech policy would affect foreign experts – either individuals or entities – that are already here.

        

Are they going to be segregated whenever any procurement process is ongoing or ought to be treated as equal to the indigenous professionals? If the former is to be the case, then it simply means the order is equally asking them to henceforth vacate their stay in Nigeria.

         

If the government is truly keen in improving as well as promoting the country’s local content, some clauses must be stated clearly in the Executive Order 5. I’m not in anywhere advocating for outright sack of foreign content domiciled herein but it’s pertinent to make any policy self-explanatory and transparent.

        

Another amazing part that caught my attention in the order was where it’s stipulated there must be a plan for indigenous development in a situation where the needed skills aren’t available “prior to the award of such contracts”.

        

That means, before any contract would be awarded to a foreign contractor as a result of lapse, there must be tangible plan put in place towards addressing such lapses or loopholes. How possible could this be actualized if the required mechanisms are not introduced?

          

I won’t hesitate to enquire the authority that’s expected to remedy the system when the aforementioned situation arises. We need to be told the entity that would be saddled with the responsibility of developing the lacking indigenous skills. I’m, therefore, asserting that if the government fails to set up a special agency strictly in this regard, such an order would be dead on arrival.

        

We have overtime witnessed circumstances where a sitting government preferred to merely tender a certain policy without consequently coming up with the needed mechanism toward adequately implementing the document as well as actualizing every clause enshrined in it. Hence, I pray this wouldn’t be one of them.

         

The fact remains that the Nigeria’s tech sector is severely bleeding, hence seriously in need of an overhaul. It’s noteworthy that for such total turnaround to be realized, the leaders must wear the required political will like clothe.

         

This is the reason as much as I invariably pick interest in such technologically-oriented policies like the newly introduced Executive Order 5, I don’t find it difficult to analyze the prospects and encumbrances surrounding them.     

          

I want to state categorically that the order in question is a welcome development and a step in the right direction considering how far and how well the country’s technology at large has fared thus far. But there’s a compelling need for its feasibility study to be drastically considered if it’s born out of genuine intention.

         

In view of this, I urge the Buhari-led administration to involve reliable and competent hands and also consult the cognoscenti with a view to ensuring apt implementation of the said order.

         

It’s not anymore news that those who are well imbued with technology-related knowledge have for decades now been sidelined, hence leading to brain drain which is currently affecting our economy negatively. This aspect needs to be holistically addressed headlong.

          

So, as I commend Mr. President for introducing this lofty order, it’s inconsequential to enjoin him to ensure that the needful is done towards making the policy effective as well as sustaining it. Think about it!   

           

Comrade Nwaozor, a tech expert, writes
via frednwaozor@gmail.com