Headlines
Minister applauds NASS, Tinubu over national Anti-Doping Bill
The Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan Enoh has commended the National Assembly for the accelerated passage of the National Anti-Doping Bill.
The minister in a statement on Sunday also acknowledged and saluted the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for placing premium on the transmission of the bill to the National Assembly.
“The transmission of the Anti-doping Bill 2024 to the National Assembly and the accelerated passage of same remains a landmark achievement of this administration.
“It is a show of the courageous and bold leadership of the president, a final and appropriate response to the perennial issues of doping that have characterized Nigeria’s relationship with the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA),” he said.
The minister noted that the World Anti- Doping Agency (WADA) had threatened to ban Nigeria from international competitions because of Nigeria’s inability to domestic and national anti-doping law, amidst other non-compliant issues.
“This administration was greeted with WADA issuing a notice to ban Nigeria from International Competitions which degenerated to the point that the agency took Nigeria to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
“Amidst other non-compliant issues, the main challenge was Nigeria’s inability to domesticate the National Anti-doping Law and setting up a National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) as part of its obligation having signed the international convention in 1999.
“For years, the country has grappled with meeting up to the expectations of the World Anti-Doping Organization, despite being a foundational signatory for 25 years,” Enoh said.
He expressed optimism that with the passage of the bill, Nigeria will no longer have doubts about its participation in global sporting events and its eligibility to host sports competitions amongst other perennial issues.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the development is coming weeks before the country’s participation at the Paris Olympic Games.
NAN reports that the bill, among other things, also seeks to establish the National Anti-Doping Centre to combat doping in sports, in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code. The Code is a core document, that provides the framework for anti-doping policies, rules, and regulations within sports organisations and among public authorities. It is designed to harmonise anti-doping policies and ensure the standards are the same for all athletes.
The executive bill which now makes it incumbent for Nigeria, to domesticate the treaty to tackle the ugly menace of doping amongst sportsmen and women, was read for the second time in May, and has scaled the third reading.
President Tinubu had urged the Senate to review and approve the bill.
He argued that it would prohibit athletes from using substances that enhance their performance.
Tinubu’s request was conveyed in a letter read on the floor of the upper legislative chamber by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau.
The president stated that the bill would establish a legal framework for the formation of the National Anti-Doping Organisation.
He further emphasised that the establishment of the agency, was essential for Nigeria to meet the standards outlined in the World Anti-Doping Code.
The Kano State Government has inaugurated a 14-member committee tasked with reviewing existing education policies in the state.
Inaugurating the committee on Thursday in Kano, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Ali Makoda, said that the committee was constituted by the Kano State Executive Council to assess the state’s education policies.
“This committee was originally scheduled to be inaugurated by the governor, but due to prior engagements, he has delegated the responsibility to me so that we can begin our work immediately,” Makoda stated.
The Commissioner outlined the committee’s terms of reference, which include reviewing the four existing education policies in the state to assess whether they align with the cultural and religious beliefs of the people.
“Evaluating the feasibility of implementing the policies, and making recommendations to strengthen the state’s education system.”
He noted that the four policies to be reviewed include the Kano State Girls’ Education Policy, Kano State Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Policy, Kano State Non-State School Policy, and Kano State Teacher Development Policy.
Makoda announced that the committee has been given three weeks to submit its report, and urged the members to leverage their expertise to produce recommendations that would enhance the state’s education sector.
In his response, the committee chairman, Malam Abdullahi Dutse, assured the commissioner of the committee’s commitment to work collaboratively to meet the expectations placed on them.
“Considering the diverse expertise of the committee members, I believe the government has selected individuals with the right skills to address the challenges facing education in the state. We will work diligently to provide the necessary report,” he said.
The committee’s members include Malam Abdullahi Dutse (Chairman), Prof Abdallah Uba -Adamu, Habibu Dan Almajiri, Alhaji Danlami Garba, Kano State Commissioner for Women, Children, and Disabled Affairs Hajiya Amina Abdullahi, and Isa Ahmad.
Other members are Prof Tijjani Naniya, Malam Kabiru Hanga, Munzali Mustapha, Prof Auwal Halliru Arzai, and Dr Bashir Aliyu -Umar.
The remaining include the representatives of the Emirate Council and Civil Society Organizations, and Ibrahim Bawa, Director of Archives and Publications, who will serve as Secretary of the committee.
The U.S. Deputy-Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell, has extolled Nigeria’s partnership in the successful repatriation of funds linked to forfeited luxury real estate and Galactica Star Superyacht. (more…)
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated six Nigerians named by President Joe Biden among the 400 recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in the United States.
This recognition, established by former President Bill Clinton in 1996, is the highest honour bestowed by the United States government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers.
This year’s awardees, announced by Biden on Jan. 14, are employed or funded by 14 participating United States government agencies, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Spokesman, said in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
The Nigerian honourees include Azeez Butali, Gilbert Lilly Endowed Professor of Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa; and Ijeoma Opara, Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Yale School of Public Health, Yale University.
Others are: Oluwatomi Akindele, Postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; and Eno Ebong, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biology at Northeastern University;
The rest are: Oluwasanmi Koyejo, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University; and Abidemi Ajiboye, Executive vice Chair of the Case School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Case Western Reserve University.
Tinubu commended the awardees for their achievements in science, technology and engineering.
He noted that recognising the talents of the awardees underscored Nigerians’ vast potential to excel both at home and on the global stage.
Tinubu looked forward to the honourees sharing their multidisciplinary expertise to benefit Nigeria’s development efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda. (more…)
Kano inaugurates 14-member committee to review education policies
U.S commends Nigeria over Galactica funds repatriation efforts
Tinubu congratulates Nigerian scientists, engineers on making Biden’s honour list
Facebook, Instagram Temporarily Allow Posts on Ukraine War Calling for Violence Against Invading Russians or Putin’s Death
Nigeria, Other West African Countries Facing Worst Food Crisis in 10 Years, Aid Groups Say
New York Consulate installs machines for 10-year passport
-
Business3 years ago
Facebook, Instagram Temporarily Allow Posts on Ukraine War Calling for Violence Against Invading Russians or Putin’s Death
-
Headlines3 years ago
Nigeria, Other West African Countries Facing Worst Food Crisis in 10 Years, Aid Groups Say
-
Foreign3 years ago
New York Consulate installs machines for 10-year passport
-
Technology4 months agoZero Trust Architecture in a Remote World: Securing the New Normal
-
Entertainment2 years agoPhyna emerges winner of Big Brother Naija Season 7
-
Business8 months agoNigeria Customs modernisation project to check extortion of traders
-
Business10 months agoWe generated N30.2 bn revenue in three months – Kano NCS Comptroller
-
Headlines7 months agoPhilippines’ Vice President Sara Duterte resigns from Cabinet
