CSR News Summary Issue 24

Non – Cooperation of 34 LGs Stalls Polio Eradication

Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido alongside Minister of Health, Dr Onyeabuchi Chukwu and the Minister of State for Health, Dr Muhammed Pate, told journalist that 34 local governments have  failed to live up to their bid in the fight against the disease.

According to Pate, “the point is that as a nation, we have controlled the disease, but we have not eradicated it”.

Published in BusinessDay Newspaper, on Monday, 16th July 2012

UNESCO names Port Harcourt 2012 World Book Capital

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has selected the city of Port Harcourt as the 2014 World Book Capital.

Published in Leadership Newspaper, on Monday, 16th July 2012

Nigeria’s Maternal Mortality Ratio, 545 per 100,000 births – NPC Boss

The Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Eze Festus Odunegwu has said that the Nigerian Maternal Mortality ration was 545 per 100,000 live births.

Published in Leadership Newspaper, on Monday, 16th July 2012

Bauchi distributes N35m drugs to LGAs

Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA), on has distributed essential drugs worth N35 million to health centres in the 20 local government in the state.

Nisser Umar, executive secretary of the agency, said in Bauchi at a ceremony organisation to commence the distribution of the drugs that four health facilities in each of the councils would receive the drugs.

Published in BusinessDay Newspaper, on Monday, 16th July 2012

Minister of agriculture appointed into IFPRI council

Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina has been appointed into the Washington-based Advisory Council of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) 2020 Vision for Food, Agriculture and Environment.

Published in BusinessDay Newspaper, on Monday, 16th July 2012

Firm urges businesses to promote community development

Indigenous and foreign businesses in Nigeria should learn to assist in the development of communities in which they operate, the Managing Director, Chemical and Allied Products Plc, Mrs. Omolara Elemide, has said.

This, she said, would either alleviate the plight of the recipients in the local communities remarkably or marginally. She noted that companies needed to integrate community development as part of their corporate social responsibility programmes.

Published in Punch Newspaper, on Tuesday, 17th July 2012

Victims’ Families Demand Higher Compensation

Families of the victims of the tragic Dana Air Flight 0992 which killed all the 153 persons on board, including six crew members on June 3 in Lagos yesterday insisted that the compensation should be paid by the airline must be more than $100,000.

Published in This Day Newspaper, on Tuesday, 17th July 2012

Developing the Creative Sector

As part of its efforts to develop the creative sector of the economy, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation will be organising a National Policy Dialogue on Development of the Creative Entertainment Industries in Nigeria

Published in This Day Newspaper, on Tuesday, 17th July 2012

SMEDAN partners Pakistan SMEDA for cluster development

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has unveiled plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDAN) of Pakistan for business cluster development in Nigeria.

The partnership, which is being facilitated by the Pakistan High Commission in Nigeria according to the Acting High Commissioner, Ahmed Ali Sirohey, was informed by the D-8 Group’s objective to diversify and create new opportunities with trading partners.

Published in The Guardian Newspaper, on Wednesday, 18th July 2012

Firm initiates school-based management committees

In its bid to improve the lives of its host communities as part of its corporate social responsibilities, the United Cement Company (UNICEM), Akamkpa in Cross River State has established machinery that will drive the school – based management committees (SMDC) in its operating environment.

Published in The Nation Newspaper, on Wednesday, 18th July 2012

Nigeria gets $95m World Bank Facility to eradicate Polio

In a final push to eradicate polio in Nigeria, the World Bank’s Board yesterday approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit of $95 million for the Nigeria Polio Eradication Support Project.

The move is to help the country achieve and sustain at least 80 percent polio immunization across all states, in line with the Bank’s expressed support for the eventual eradication of the disease from the country.

Published in The Guardian Newspaper, on Wednesday, 18th July 2012

Agric Ministry extends subsidy to fisheries, boost export

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will soon begin to provide susbsidies to operators of the fisheries sub-sector as already being done to crop farmers. In the intervention targeted at small scale fisheries and aquaculture operators, the

FCTA procures N4M Drugs for Maternal, Neo-natal Week

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FUTA), through its Primary Health Care Development Board has procured vaccines and drugs worth over N4 million as part of the health interventions to mark the maternal Newborn and Child Health Week in Abuja.

The Executive Secretary of the board, Dr. Rilwan Mohammed, said free drugs had been sent to the 422 government health care centres and eight private clinics in the territory.

Published in Leadership Newspaper, on Thursday, 19th July 2012

Shell to build $3.5bn gas plant in Imo state

The shell Petroleum Development Company has concluded plans to build a $3.5bn gas plant in Imo state.

Briefing Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha during a courtesy visit by the management of SPDC to the governor in Owerri, the Managing Director, Mr Mutiu Summonu, said the Assa – North, Ohaji-South Gas supply project was in line with the local gas content policy of the Federal Government to boost power generation in the country.

He said the gas plant on completion would supply domestic gas to power energy plants across the country as well as generate massive job opportunities for Nigerians. The Shell boss further disclosed that the project would be executed in two phases and would be completed in 2018.

 Published in Daily Trust Newspaper, on Thursday, 19th July 2012

Work Commences On Dangote's N1 Billion Industrial Academy

Dangote conglomerate has started building the N1 billion Industrial Academy at Obajana, Kogi State that promises to be the best in Nigeria when completed in December.

The Dangote Academy will not only admit students but will offer them employment after a 12 months' training programme, a statement from the group said. While the building of the academy complex is continuing, admission and classes have since begun.

Published in Daily Trust Newspaper, on Thursday, 19th July 2012

Nigeria to adopt ISO 26000 standard on Social Responsibility

Nigeria will finally commence the adoption process of the international standard on Social Responsibility, ISO 26000.

After the successful completion of the first phase where corporate organisations were invited to express interest as technical partners, the International Organisation for Standardisation has through its national member body, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, announced the first technical meeting of the adoption process.

In partnership with ThistlePraxis Consulting, SON made this announcement in a statement signed by its Director-General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu. The inauguration ceremony and first technical meeting for ISO 26000: NAP had been scheduled to take place on July 31 and August 1, 2012 in Abuja, the statement added.

The two-day workshop would kick-start the adoption process and facilitated by experts including the Chief Executive Officer, the CSR Company, Austria, Mr. Martin Neureiter, as lead expert.

Participants will include corporate organisations that had expressed interest in participating in the exercise as technical partners.

Published in Punch Newspaper, on Friday, 20th July 2012

AfDB Reiterates Continued Support for Women Empowerment

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has pledged its continued support for women empowerment in the continent. The President of the AfDB, Donald Kaberuka, made the pledge in a video message to the 2nd African Women Economic Summit holding in Lagos, Nigeria.

Dr. Kaberuka said that the Bank will continue to support the cause of empowering women in Africa. He said Africa has made significant progress in the last few years; recording improved economic growth but noted that more needs to be done to bring about financial inclusion.

Published in Guardian Newspaper, on Friday, 20th July 2012

Climate Change: It’s time to act says Fashola

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday led tree planting exercise across the state to mitigate the effects of climate change that has posed serious threat to weather conditions across the globe, saying it was high time to make a change in reducing the negative effects of greenhouse on the environment.

Published in Vanguard Newspaper, on Friday, 20t