NEWS UPDATE: Bird flu now in 11 states—FG and lots more…….

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Bird flu now in 11 states —FG

The Federal Government on Wednesday announced that the avian influenza virus, also known as bird flu, is now present in 11 states of the federation.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina at a meeting with commissioners of agriculture from the 36 states of the federation, listed additional states where the flu had spread to as Oyo, Jigawa, Gombe and Imo. The seven states earlier reported were Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Delta, Rivers, Edo and Plateau.

The minister said the total number of birds exposed had risen to 232,385 and 51,444 mortalities has so far been recorded, with Kano having the highest exposure rate of birds of 136,905 and 17,987 mortality level, while Lagos State had 38,845 birds exposed with 4,732 mortality level.

Adesina also announced a compensation of N145.14m to 39 farmers in the 11 affected states where de-population of the birds had been carried out by the Federal Government and according to the Minister; the compensation is to ensure that farmers do not lose their businesses as a result of the devastation by the virus

For more on this news, visit Punchng.com

 

 

NLNG Spotlights 2014 Literature Prize Winner, Ukala

 

Nigeria LNG Limited will beam a celebratory light on Professor Sam Ukala, the latest winner of its $100,000 Nigeria prize for literature, at a public presentation which will hold in Lagos today.

Prof Ukala will at the event share the podium with Professor Isidore Diala, the winner of the newly introduced award, for literary criticism instituted in 2011 to reward literary critics of Nigerian Literature from all over the world.

In a statement released by the NLNG’s General Manager in charge of External Relations, Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke, said Ukala’s successful entry, ‘Iredi War’, was adjudged winning entry from 123 other authors whose works also competed to win the 2014 edition of the literature prize, whose focus was on the drama genre.

According to him,“originality, relevance, quality of production, form and style, were among criteria used in the adjudication process by a panel of judges, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Benue State University, Professor Charity Angya, and three other eminent scholars –Prof. Ahmed Yerima, a past laureate of the Prize and professor of Theatre Arts, Redeemer’s University, Mowe, Ogun State; Prof. Akanji Nasiru, an accomplished scholar and professor of Performing Arts, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State.

For more on this news, visit Thisdaylive

 

Woman accuses Lebanese couple of torture

Mrs. Grace Okpara, a cleaner at a logistics company in Ibafo, Ogun State has reported to the police that she was allegedly tortured by her bosses, who are Lebanon nationals.

It is gathered that the Lebanese couple Joseph and Hala Yasbek dragged her on the ground bosses during an argument, where after she reported the incident to the Police at Ibafo Police Division on thje 14th  of January.

While narrating the what happened to newsmen, Grace said “i work as a cleaner at the Lebanese company, that day Hala said I did not clean the premises very well, but as I tried to explain, she kicked me and I fell. Minutes later when the husband showed up, I reported Hala to him, but he also slapped me.

Mr Uzoma, Grace’s husband, “my wife has spent four years and two months at the company. She started with N15,000 and her salary grew to N20,000 over four years. The assault my wife suffered is part of the inhuman treatments by bosses at the company. We reported to the police and the NHRC so that they could look into this matter. My wife was assaulted at work. This is not proper.”

For more on this news, visit Punchng.com