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News Roundup: Oil production ship explodes, $6.9bn lost to insurgency, Nokia 105 arrives in Nigeria…

News Roundup: Oil production ship explodes, $6.9bn lost to insurgency, Nokia 105 arrives in Nigeria…

Only 8% of Nigerians Are Happy With Country’s State of Affairs Under Buhari
Only one in ten Nigerians (eight per cent) are happy with the current state of affairs in Nigeria, under President Muhammadu Buhari, a new survey by Africa Polling Institute (API) has found. The result of the survey, published Wednesday, showed that as of January, about 78 percent of the citizens were not happy with the country’s state of affairs; with almost half of that (37 percent) saying they felt ‘extremely sad’ about the state of the country. The remaining 14 percent of the citizens said they were indifferent to the state of affairs in the country. About four in ten respondents ( 38 percent) mentioned heightened insecurity as the biggest challenge facing them today, while about 20 percent of Nigerians consider unemployment as their biggest challenge.

FG unveils policy to tackle worsening burden of eye diseases
The Federal government on Thursday unveiled a National Policy that will ensure Nigerians have equitable access to quality eye care and help the country curb what it described as rising cases of blindness and several other eye diseases. Minister of State for Health, Adeleke Mamora who launched the policy in Abuja, informed that 84 percent of eye diseases particularly those that cause blindness are preventable and treatable, but decried the lack of awareness and inaccessibility of eye care services across the country causing many Nigerians to remain visually impaired. He disclosed that the prevalence of blindness in Nigeria is 0.78 percent with cataracts, glaucoma, refractive errors, harmful traditional eye practices and corneal opacities as the leading causes of preventable blindness.

Oil Production Ship Explodes in Nigeria
An oil production and storage ship exploded in southern Delta state and 10 crew members are feared dead, Nigerian authorities said. An official of the Sheba Oil Exploration and Production Company confirmed the incident in a statement Thursday. Three months ago an oil spill in nearby Bayelsa state spewed for one month, causing severe damage to land and water bodies before it was contained. Although the extent of damage is unknown. The ship is able to store up to two million barrels of oil and the explosion raises serious environmental concerns. Nigeria is trying to maximize its petroleum output, and authorities have intensified a crackdown on illegal tapping of pipelines. Petroleum officials say the country loses some 150,000 barrels of oil a day to such theft.

Read also:  How Africa missed 10 years worth of Economic growth in 2020 – Hundeyin

About $6.9bn Lost to Boko Haram Insurgency in North-East
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum says property worth over $6.9 billion has been lost in the last 13 years to the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east region of Nigeria. Zulum said this in Abuja on Thursday when he appeared at the weekly briefing of the Presidential Communications Team. The governor said the insurgency has aggravated poverty and other challenges in the region. However, peace is gradually returning to Borno as a result of the commitment and support of the federal government.

Africa edition of Nokia 105 arrives in Nigeria
HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, announces the latest Nokia 105 Africa Edition. The device is refreshed to bring more value, connectivity, and quality to Nigerians. The Nokia 105 is built with long-lasting battery life and a wireless FM radio that enables users to listen to their favourite sports, news, and entertainment channels on the go even without a headset, it said. The new phone has a wireless FM radio, recognisable design wrapped in quality, affordable pricing at N8,100, and available across Nigeria.

UNICEF says Pandemic Threatens Push to End Female Genital Mutilation
The COVID-19 pandemic could reverse decades of global progress in stamping out female genital mutilation (FGM), UN agencies warn ahead of the International Day to eliminate the harmful practice. Shuttered schools, lockdowns and disruption to services that protect girls, have put millions worldwide at increased risk of being subjected to FGM. This means an additional two million girls could be affected by 2030, according to the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, resulting in a 33 percent reduction in global efforts toward eradication. In marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, observed annually on 6 February, UN agencies are appealing for stronger action to uphold the human rights, health and integrity of women and girls.