Economy
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Kicks Against FG’s Disgraceful Plans of Importing Madagascar’s CVO Syrup.
Published
8 months agoon

What a Disgrace!!!- Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria protest FG’s plan to Import Madagascar COVID19 Syrup

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has kicked against plans by the Federal government to import the COVID-19 syrup being produced in Madagascar for the treatment of patients with the viral disease here in Nigeria.
President Buhari has given a directive for the importation of the herbal syrup.
In a statement released by the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, ‘Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa’ today May 12th, the umbrella body of Nigerian pharmacists said it received with utter disbelief the news of the planned importation of the herbal syrup.
Ohuabunwa said the society is shocked that the Federal government can move swiftly to collect such syrup from an African country that boasts of fewer scientists when they have consistently ignored calls to carry out a clinical evaluation for the drugs some Nigerian pharmacists claim they have developed as a cure for the ravaging viral disease.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has received the news that the Federal Government of Nigeria is about to import a herbal concoction called COVID Organics (CVO) from Madagascar with utter disbelief.
While in principle we would not mind Nigerian government importing any new drug that is proven to cure COVID-19 or indeed any other disease for which we have neither the capacity, nor the technology to produce locally, we are totally appalled that Nigeria is about to spend scarce foreign exchange to import ‘COAL INTO NEWCASTLE’.
Even if we are not going to pay for this, it is thoroughly disgraceful that a country that should be the leader of Africa, with the largest GDP will allow itself to be dragged this low. Nigeria has about 174 Universities (43 Federal, 52 State and 79 private), 20 Faculties of Pharmacy and about 69 Federal-Funded Research Institutes (including National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research & Development and the National Institute for Medical Research) while Madagascar has only 6 Universities, 1 Faculty of Pharmacy and 9 Research Centers!!! Nigeria has some of the best scientists (Pharmaceutical, Medical, Biochemical, Biological etc.) in the world who have done so much work on natural and herbal medicines.

Nigeria has developed a pharmacopeia of natural and herbal products and has one of the richest flora and fauna – potent sources of phytomedicines.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, a number of them have raised their voices that they have herbal and natural products that can be used to treat or manage COVID-19. Some have patents. Many herbal companies and producers have an-nounced specifically that they have herbal formulations that can do what this ‘invention’ from Madagascar can do.
WHO Considers Madagascar’s CVO Drink as Possible Treatment for COVID-19
We have raised our voices severally that the Federal Government should review these claims and help put them through clinical evaluation as most of these producers cannot afford to conduct clinical trials. We have recommended that a portion of the nearly 25 Billion Naira donated/allocated for the COVID-19 pandemic should be dedicated for local research and development. But our Government has remained essentially silent only waiting to participate in WHO sponsored or mandated trials.
We have been told that Nigeria is participating in the WHO solidarity trial, but nothing on trying our own inventions and formulations. Now we want to import COVID Organics. from Madagascar to try? Why are we like this? If the world can supply us synthetic and chemically-sophisticated medicines which we apparently lack the technology to produce, why must we wait for the World to supply us herbal formulations which we can easily make and which we have similar products.”
Ohabunwa appealed to the Federal government to save the pharmaceutical scientists in Nigeria the shame of importing herbs that Nigeria boasts of in abundance
We urge our Government to save Nigerian Pharmaceutical Scientists and other scientists from the shame of having our country import and try herbal remedies which God has given us in abundance and some of which our grandfathers and grandmothers have used for ages. Let us try our own local formulations before we try COVID Organics or any other imported remedy.
Every well-meaning nation has been in a race to find cures, remedies and other medical supplies used for COVID-19, while we seem to wait for other nations to solve our problems. There is much talk but little action. This dependency mentality needs to change and now is the time. We must seize this opportunity to look inwards, build confidence on our abilities, competences and re-orientate our national economic philosophy from import dependency to export driven. And Nigeria can beat India and China in the production and export of herbal products if anyone is willing to lead us down this part.
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Kim Kardashian wants to give 1000 people $500 each
Reality television star, Kim Kardashian has announced that she wants to send $500 each to a thousand people in recognition of a tough year caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
Kim, who was bashed last month for posting receipts of $1m she spent on holiday, said the monetary relief she’ll be sending will be disbursed on a first come, first served basis.
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She wrote on Twitter;
“Hey guys! 2020 has been hard and many are worried about paying rent or putting food on their table,” the reality star tweeted to her 68 million followers on Monday afternoon. “I want to spread the love by sending $500 to 1000 people.”
She followed with instructions on how to get their tweet noticed and the money paid.
Hey guys! 2020 has been hard and many are worried about paying rent or putting food on their table- I want to spread the love by sending $500 to 1000 people. Send me your $cashtag below with #KKWHoliday 🎄🎁 #partner pic.twitter.com/aHV4COQUvd
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) December 21, 2020
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Arik Airline sacks 300 workers
The management of the airline disclosed this in a statement released today Friday, December 4. The management hinged its decision to sack the workers on the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its operations.
Recall that Nigerian airspace was shut in March this year and opened in July as part of measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus in Nigeria.
The press statement titled, “Arik Air management declares 300 staff redundant”, reads in part
“Arising from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the constrained ability of the airline to complete heavy maintenance activities and return its planes to operations, stunted revenues against increasing operational costs, the management of Arik Air (In Receivership) has declared 300 staff members redundant to its current level of operations.
“The leadership of the impacted unions has been contacted to negotiate a redundancy package for the affected staff.”
Gistflash gathered that Passengers are already stranded the airport with the flight fully booked and no one to attend to them
Stranded at Abuja Airport . I just learned #Arik staff embarked on strike without any prior notice to passengers No one has come to address us yet. Other flights are fully booked. @ArikAir. Sigh! pic.twitter.com/LXHQPySTsw
— DRISBLOGINT (@Drisblogint) December 4, 2020
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218
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Economy
Gov. Sule Orders DPMs, DFS To Proceed on Compulsory 3-Month Suspension over Alleged Fraud of 600m
Published
2 months agoon
November 16, 2020
Gov. Sule Orders DPMs, DFS to Proceed on Compulsory 3-Month Suspension over Alleged Fraud of 600m
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State on Sunday directed the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) to send all the Directors of Personal Management (DPMs) and Directors of Finance and Supplies (DFS) in the 13 local governments and 18 development areas to go on compulsory suspension for three months.
Sule said the suspension was to monitor the payment of salaries of local government workers by the state auditor general, which was lingering for three months.
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The directive was contained in a statement signed by Public Relations Officer in the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ibrahim Adamu Shigafarta, and made available to newsmen in Lafia, the state capital.
Gistflash gathered that the council officials were suspended because they refused to work with directive of the a committee set up by government to investigate the discrepancies and high wage bills incurred by local governments.
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