National News
UNICEF Says Inequality of COVID-19 Vaccine, holding world back
UNICEF Says Inequality of COVID-19 Vaccine, holding world back
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has lamented that the inequality in availability of COVID-19 vaccine is holding the world back.
Commenting on recent analysis that showed that G20 countries have received 15 times more COVID-19 vaccine doses per capita than countries in sub-Saharan Africa*, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said: “Vaccine inequity is not just holding the poorest countries back – it is holding the world back.”
Speaking ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit this weekend, Fore said. “As leaders meet to set priorities for the next phase of the COVID-19 response, it is vital they remember that, in the COVID vaccine race, we either win together, or we lose together.”
Ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit this weekend, 48 UNICEF Africa ambassadors and supporters have also united, calling on countries to deliver doses by December.
The analysis, conducted by science analytics company Airfinity has exposed the severity of vaccine inequity between high-income and low-income countries, especially in Africa.
It found that doses delivered to G20 countries per capita are 15 times higher than doses delivered per capita to sub-Saharan African countries; 15 times higher than doses delivered per capita to low-income countries; and three times higher than doses delivered per capita in all other countries combined.
A statement by UNICEF on Wednesday said wealthy countries with more supplies than they need have generously pledged to donate these doses to low- and middle-income countries via COVAX but these promised doses are moving too slowly, insisting that of the 1.3 billion additional doses countries have pledged to donate, only 194 million doses have been provided to COVAX.
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It lamented that African countries in particular have largely been left without access to COVID-19 vaccines, with less than 5 percent of the African population being fully vaccinated, leaving many countries at high-risk of further outbreaks.
The statement said: that as leaders prepare to meet for the G20 Summit in Rome this weekend, 48 UNICEF Africa ambassadors and supporters from across the continent have united in an open letter, calling for leaders to honour their promises to urgently deliver doses, writing that “the stakes could not be higher.”
The letter’s signatories, including Angelique Kidjo, Arlo Parks, Davido, Tendai Mtawarira, Femi Kuti, Tony Elumelu, Ramla Ali, Kate Henshaw, Winnie Byanyima and others, are calling on leaders to donate the pledged vaccines by December, along with the necessary resources to turn the vaccines into vaccinations.
The statement lamented that: “Every day Africa remains unprotected, pressure builds on fragile health systems where there can be one midwife for hundreds of mothers and babies,” the letter reads. “As the pandemic causes a spike in child malnutrition, resources are diverted from life-saving health services and childhood immunization. Children already orphaned risk losing grandparents. Disaster looms for sub-Saharan African families, four out of five of whom rely on the informal sector for their daily bread. Poverty threatens children’s return to school, protection from violence and child marriage.”
UNICEF Says Inequality of COVID-19 Vaccine, holding world back
National News
Investments in circular economy have the potential to increase forex earnings- NESREA DG
Investments in circular economy have the potential to increase forex earnings- NESREA DG
By: Michael Mike
The Director General of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Innocent Barikor has affirmed that investments in the circular economy value chain have the potential to increase the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
Barikor made this statement recently during a meeting with the management of a plastic packaging recycling (rPET) company, Sonnex in Lagos.
He assured the team that the Nigerian government prioritizes circular economy, noting that the draft National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations soon to be gazetted is one of the efforts to strengthen the legal framework for circular economy implementation in Nigeria.
He said: “Circular Economy falls under the Presidential priorities for the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Minister is very keen on the success. Apart from tackling the problem of waste, green jobs have been created .
“The pellets and flakes you produce and export also generate foreign exchange. The Plastic Waste Control Regulations are awaiting official gazette and once gazetted, we would have connected the dots of the framework to implement circular economy in the plastic sector. We are deeply committed to ensuring the success of Circular Economy.”
Earlier, the Managing Director, Anil Mohinani intimated the NESREA boss on the process for the production of recycled PET bottles (rPET), whilst also highlighting the challenges faced by investors in the sector .
He listed some of the setbacks to include lack of a legal instrument to compel manufacturers in the food and beverage sector to embrace food-grade rPET, unfriendly policies by some foreign companies, and insufficient awareness .
“Europe and America create barriers to protect their international recycling business. There is unfair competition. In some countries such as Kenya, there is encouragement to invest in rPET recycling because there is a regulation in place,” he added.
Investments in circular economy have the potential to increase forex earnings- NESREA DG
ISWAP Terrorists Kill Hunters’ Leader in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Suspected ISWAP terrorists have killed the chairman of the hunters’ group in Garjang village, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 5 a.m. on Sunday.
The victim, identified as Habu Dala, 53, was abducted from his home by the terrorists, who took him through Mulharam to Forfot villages in Damboa LGA.
Villagers mobilised in search of Dala and later found his corpse bearing gunshot wounds.
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and the hunters’ group visited the scene.
The remains were evacuated to the General Hospital, Damboa, where he was certified dead and later released to his family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
ISWAP Terrorists Kill Hunters’ Leader in Borno
Nine Injured in Kwali Farmers–Herders Clash
By: Zagazola Makama
Nine persons sustained machete injuries in a clash between Bassa farmers and Fulani herders in Gomoni Village, Kwali Area Council of the FCT.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the fight, which broke out on Aug. 9 at about 3:30 p.m., followed alleged destruction of melon and maize farms belonging to the Bassa community by cattle.
It was gathered that the Nigeria army troops
along with joint team of operatives, and vigilantes were deployed to the scene following a distress call.
Six Bassa and three Fulani victims with varying degrees of machete cuts were taken to Rhema Foundation Hospital, Kwali, for treatment.
Authorities confirmed that the situation had been brought under control and normalcy restored, while investigation was ongoing.
Nine Injured in Kwali Farmers–Herders Clash
Investments in circular economy have the potential to increase forex earnings- NESREA DG
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