The 2020 World NTD day celebration, a yearly event scheduled for every 30th of January to help eradicate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) has been celebrated in Okoyong Community of Odukpani LGA of Cross River State.

Cross River State is known to be endemic to several of this tropical diseases which tends to affects the poorest and marginalized population in both rural and urban settlements thereby causing several diseases like anemia, blindness, malnutrition and other life threatening diseases.

The chief host of the event; the honorable commissioner for health Dr Betta Edu, who has been driving a more robust strategy to end NTDs was supported by the DG CRSPHCDA Dr Janet Ekpenyong, the HOLGA of Odukpani LGA Mrs Opara, the PHC director Mrs Lizzy Bullem, the NTD State coordinator Mr Patrick Odo, the clan head of Ikot Effiong Otop Denuenuo Asuquo Effiong and a host of many other dignitaries, mothers, fathers and children of the host community.

After a welcome address by the HOLGA of Odukpani LGA Mrs Opara, who welcomed the commissioner to Odukpani and went further to thank the State Governor for his numerous contributions in the health sector and Hon Dr Betta Edu for her tremendous contributions and outstanding legacies she's left so far in the health sector within and outside the state. The LGA coordinator for NTD Mrs Helen Ekpeme commended the State Government and the Health Ministry for putting in so much in the area of this neglected diseases as today over 820 communities in Odukpani LGA have been affected positively and over 2 million children and adult dewormed or treated already.

Speaking, the Commissioner for Health thanked his Excellency  Governor Ben Ayade for his great leadership, strong political will, great efforts and achievements in the health sector. She went ahead to sensitize the host community on the causative agents, mode of transmission, treatment, targeted population and the preventive measures involved in Neglected Tropical Diseases. She elaborately carried out sensitization campaigns on Lassa fever, Corona virus, malaria and diarrhoea as the people of Odukpani were filled with joy and shout of praises for his excellency when she disclosed to them that CRS is Lassa Fever free.

Out of the 18 NTDs of public health importance, 4 are endemic in Cross River State, Lymphatic filariasis
Onchocerciasis schistosomiasis
Soil transmitted Helmetics is caused by instinal worms known as Ascaris (ascaris lumbricoides which includes; whiporous, hookworms and necta americanus

These diseases are transmitted from infected persons to uninfected persons via mosquito bites, black fly, contaminated pathogenic snails and contaminated soil that harbors parasitic worms.

Treatment is available, covering a population of about 2 million people in 820 communities. Preventive Chemotherapy is used as a mode of treatment in two phases, school based deworming (SBD) and Community based deworming (CBD). Treatment is done yearly through MAM involving teachers, health worker and CDDs.

Our target population is 5-14 years school children for SBD
5years and above for CBD
Those not eligible;
Children under the age of five (5)
Pregnant women
Lactating mothers within the first 7 days and seriously ill persons.

The DG CRSPHCDA Dr Janet Ekpenyong alongside other speakers charged mothers to always advice their children to imbibe the culture of regular hand washing, avoiding the exposure of edible food items and went further to charge health workers to continue to give in their best as the State Government is always ready to provide whatever the health sector needs to make the state a disease free one. She charged them to have a high level of suspicion for any case of Fever.

The indigenes of Odukpani LGA expressed their happiness with the State Government and the Health Ministry for always putting their children, mothers and their various communities into consideration and promised to double their support for his excellency and the new commissioner for health as they promised to carry out this sensitization campaign to the nooks and crannies of their various communities, market places, churches, etc.

It is certainly not the best of times for some members of Staff of the University of Calabar as the institution has wielded the big stick on some of them for engaging in various forms of fraud and misconduct.

Consequent upon this, the Governing Council of the institution rose from its 157th meeting with a resolve to terminate the appointment of 5 Staff and demotion of 3 others, over what it described as “gross misconduct”.

After thorough consideration of the report of its Disciplinary Committee, Council decided to use the sledge hammer on the erring staff for indulging in acts that contravenedrelevant laws of the University.

The termination and demotion of these staff was, however contained in separate letters signed by the Registrar of the institution, Mr. Gabriel Egbe and dated January 23, 2020.

ALSO UNICAL Retires 2 Over Official Misconduct

Those whose appointments were terminated are; Mr. Valentine Eworo and Ms Theodora Agama both of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry. They were relieved of their appointments for allegedly altering Examination grades and Results of Organic Chemistry II, General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II Courses for some students of the Department.

Also, Mr. Samuel Philip Bassey of the Dean’s Office, Faculty of Arts, was also sacked for defrauding the University by cloning the signatures of the immediate past and present Vice Chancellors, on a purported ‘’authorization to travel form’’ which enabled him obtain funds from the University for Conference attendance.

Similarly, Mr. Egbala Bassey of the Vice Chancellor’s office was also sacked for his alleged involvement in acts of Financial Misconduct and employment racketeering. He was said to have collected monies from some persons with the intention of facilitating and securing employment into the University.

Mrs. Roseline Etim Eyo of the Department of Religious and Cultural Studies was also dismissed for misconduct.

In the same vein, Mrs. Comfort Felix Aya, Mrs. Ugo Samuel Bassey and Mr. Richard Uno Inyang were all demoted by one rank for allegedly making false claims and obtaining monies from the University.

For Ugo Samuel, Council directed that the sum of N150, 000(One Hundred and fifty thousand naira) be refunded to the institution on or before February 29, 2020.

The termination and demotion takes effect from the 13th of December 2019 while that of Mrs. Roseline takes effect from May 6, 2019.

In a related development, the institution has commended Prof. Ikana Uwah and Mr. Francis Akpan of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry for the role they played in promptly reporting sharp practices perpetrated by some members of staff in the department.

According to a letter signed by the University Registrar, the institution is impressed with their swift action in reporting the unethical conduct of Ms Theodora Agama and Mr. Valentine Eworo both of which engaged in alleged falsification of Examination Result/Grades.

The letter stated that they acted responsibly and in the overall interest of the University.


UNICAL SACK 5 STAFF, DEMOTE 3 OVER GROSS MISCONDUCT

It is certainly not the best of times for some members of Staff of the University of Calabar as the institution has wielded the big stick on some of them for engaging in various forms of fraud and misconduct.

Consequent upon this, the Governing Council of the institution rose from its 157th meeting with a resolve to terminate the appointment of 5 Staff and demotion of 3 others, over what it described as “gross misconduct”.

After thorough consideration of the report of its Disciplinary Committee, Council decided to use the sledge hammer on the erring staff for indulging in acts that contravenedrelevant laws of the University.

The termination and demotion of these staff was, however contained in separate letters signed by the Registrar of the institution, Mr. Gabriel Egbe and dated January 23, 2020.

Those whose appointments were terminated are; Mr. Valentine Eworo and Ms Theodora Agama both of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry. They were relieved of their appointments for allegedly altering Examination grades and Results of Organic Chemistry II, General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II Courses for some students of the Department.

Also, Mr. Samuel Philip Bassey of the Dean’s Office, Faculty of Arts, was also sacked for defrauding the University by cloning the signatures of the immediate past and present Vice Chancellors, on a purported ‘’authorization to travel form’’ which enabled him obtain funds from the University for Conference attendance.

Similarly, Mr. Egbala Bassey of the Vice Chancellor’s office was also sacked for his alleged involvement in acts of Financial Misconduct and employment racketeering. He was said to have collected monies from some persons with the intention of facilitating and securing employment into the University.

Mrs. Roseline Etim Eyo of the Department of Religious and Cultural Studies was also dismissed for misconduct.

In the same vein, Mrs. Comfort Felix Aya, Mrs. Ugo Samuel Bassey and Mr. Richard Uno Inyang were all demoted by one rank for allegedly making false claims and obtaining monies from the University.

For Ugo Samuel, Council directed that the sum of N150, 000(One Hundred and fifty thousand naira) be refunded to the institution on or before February 29, 2020.

The termination and demotion takes effect from the 13th of December 2019 while that of Mrs. Roseline takes effect from May 6, 2019.

In a related development, the institution has commended Prof. Ikana Uwah and Mr. Francis Akpan of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry for the role they played in promptly reporting sharp practices perpetrated by some members of staff in the department.

According to a letter signed by the University Registrar, the institution is impressed with their swift action in reporting the unethical conduct of Ms Theodora Agama and Mr. Valentine Eworo both of which engaged in alleged falsification of Examination Result/Grades.

The letter stated that they acted responsibly and in the overall interest of the University.

In its avowed determination to stamp- out corruption and other forms of misconduct from the institution, the University of Calabar has compulsorily retired two members of staff from service for engaging in various forms of corruption.

While Mrs Helen Obeten was retired from service for involving in acts of financial misconduct and employment racketeering, Mrs Felix Aya of the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management was retired for gross insubordination, abandonment of duty and disrespect for constituted authorities.

This was conveyed in a letter signed by the Registrar of the institution and dated January 23, 2020.

According to the letter, their retirement was sequel to a report from the University of Calabar Governing Council Disciplinary Committee report which found them culpable of the offences.

Mrs Helen Obeten, according to the letter, was said to have collected monies from some persons with the intention of facilitating and securing employment in the institution.

The letter said the action contravened section 5.7.3(iv) of the University of Calabar Conditions of Service 2014, which borders on corruption, dishonesty and sabotage against the University.

After due consideration of the report, Council approved the recommendation of the Disciplinary Committee and retired her from service in line with section 5.9.3(ii) of the University of Calabar Conditions of Service, 2014.

In the same vein, Mrs. Felix Aya was alleged to have collected salaries from both the University and Cross River State Government simultaneously within the period under investigation, which contravened laws of the institution and violates the Civil Service Rule.

Council also directed her to refund the money received as salary from the University of Calabar during the period she served as Commissioner II in the Local Government Service Commission, Cross River State.

The retirements take effect from December 13, 2019.

See also ALSO: UNICAL Sacks 5 Staff,Demotes 3 Over Gross Misconduct

UNICAL: Registrar Assures Nurses Of Improvement In Their Working Conditions

The United States embassy in Nigeria has denied the rumor that the embassy refused to grant a famous Nigerian gospel preacher, evangelist and the founder of the winner chapel church. Bishop David Oyedepo visa to visit the United States of America.

The statement released on the Embassy’s verified Facebook account reads
#FalseNews Alert! Be advised, the reports making the rounds about a visa being denied to Nigerian Bishop Oyedepo are false.

If you have seen this manufactured item in the media, help defeat this #misinformation by communicating to everyone that it is completely false.

Buhari, service chiefs meet in Aso Rock
Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has aligned with the call by the National Assembly (NASS) for the immediate removal of the Service Chiefs, saying the federal lawmakers have confirmed that the country is under siege.

Kwamkur Vondip, CAN’s Director of Legal and Public Affairs, said the Church was excited that the NASS had come to terms with the need for urgent steps to be taken towards addressing Nigeria’s security problems.



He lambasted the Federal Government for denying that Nigeria’s security situation is on a nosedive, and called on the international community to support the country to take necessary steps towards improving the situation.

He said: “The statement by the National Assembly confirms that fact that something is wrong with the nation.

“Unlike the abusive stance of those in the Presidency, the National Assembly has come to terms with the reality Nigerians face on a daily basis.

“We know the current leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives were handpicked by the Presidency but because the lawmakers were elected by the people to legislate on their behalf, their consciences did not let them shy away from speaking truth to power on the need to sack the Service Chiefs for obvious reasons.

“But, in all, the call by the National Assembly also confirms what the Church has been saying concerning the heavy state of insecurity that needs urgent attention.

“We suspect that the Federal Government either has its hands soiled in the worsening security situation or is bereft of ideas and solutions for tackling the security challenges facing Nigerians.

“But it is a shame that the Presidency has not accepted the fact that it needs to act fast and be open to help from the international community towards tackling insecurity.

“The National Assembly has also confirmed the fact that some of the Service Chiefs have overstayed in office. Some of them are due to retire, but you can see he is not even ready to let them go.

“The Federal Government should only reward rose doing well but the President commends them for a job well done but Nigerians are not feeling the impact of their work.”

Amb. Egbe, UNICAL Registrar

 By Albert Udeme.            

The University of Calabar Registrar,  Amb. Gabriel Egbe has assured Nurses and other health workers in the University of improvement in their working conditions. The Registrar made this pronouncement while receiving members of the Nigerian Nursing Council,  Unical chapter, in his office .

The Registrar who described Nurses as significant agents in health care  delivery system said  the decision of Prof Zana Akpagu to commence the building of an ultra modern Medical Centre in the University of Calabar was borne out of the need to address some of those challenges confronting health care delivery in the University.

He assured the Nurses that he will liaise with the Director of Health Services to present  their demands to Management. Earlier in their address, the branch chairperson of the Association, Mrs Esu, said they were in the office to congratulate Amb Egbe on his divine and merited appointment as the Seventh Registrar of the University of Calabar She used the opportunity to enumerates some of the challenges facing the Medical Center to  include Poor Power Supply,  lack of basic facility in the maternity ward etc.

 The chairperson also complained of discriminatory payment of hazard allowances as well as stagnation of Nurses on CONTISS 13. Highlight of the visit was presentation of the Association Almanac to the Registrar and group photographs.

It was a combination of herbalism and evangelism recently in a Ghanaian Church, when a prominent herbalist, identified as Kwaku Bonsam stormed it with his colleagues (herbalists) to retrieve his charm from the presiding pastor.

Eyewitnessreporters learnt that the Juju man who recently claimed during an interview that he has pastor-clients across the African continent, was seen in a video clip recorded by a member of church, disrupting activities in the church while telling the pastor to return the Juju he collected from him.

Kwaku Bonsam was heard saying “I told you to be patient” but it was not certain if he was speaking directly with the pastor, who was totally confounded by the unexpected move of the herbalist.

THE AKPANKE FOUNDATION(TAF) is a non-governmental organization borne out of passion and love to assist the challenged, needy, orphans, widows etc, whom have been conditioned by nature to one or more unfortunate situations.

Mr Peter Atianashi Akpanke the founder of THE AKPANKE FOUNDATION(TAF) have impacted on lives of the less privilege in numerous communities like Obanliku, Obudu, Bekwarra, Ogoja,Yala
Local Govt. Area of Cross River State and beyond.

THE AKPANKE FOUNDATION(TAF) in collaboration with Whitestone Dental Initiative (WDI) on the advocacy of good health and to show undiluted LOVE to the less privilege in the month of love is to present a 3days dental & optical outreach from 12th -14th February 2020. Bringing the same preaching to Ketting-Bendi, Sankwala, Lishiche-Bishiri in Cross Rivers state.

We are optimistic in bringing change towards rendering our services in treatments like Scaling & Polishing, Extraction, Minor Surgery, Denture, Dental Filling, Random blood Sugar, B.P Measurement, Malaria screening etc. others include Refractive Screening, Glaucoma screening, Cataract Surgery and Readers glasses.

LET’S STAND TOGETHER TO BUILD ADVOCACY FOR GOOD HEALTH.

By David Ejishie

Cross River State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Comrade Asu Okang has stated that the Government of Sir Ben Ayade has been able to put in place over 34 industries in four years.

Comrade Okang, who made the disclosure at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Calabar, while declaring open the Monthly Ministerial Press Briefing, said it has become imperative to open the doors of information to the general public to clear the doubts of those who misconstrue government efforts and genuine intentions for the people of the State.

He stated that the State Ministry of Information and Orientation re-ignited the Monthly Ministerial Press Briefing in order to give first-hand information to the public and the media in particular on Government policies and programmes as well as other activities for the betterment of its citizens.

The Information and Orientation Boss disclosed that the State Government has done well in so many sectors, most notably in building industries for the State, which he said has transformed the State from its Civil Service status to an industrial hub.

He noted that the State now boost of over 34 industries with some completed while others are at various stages of completion, adding that these industrial revolution is in line with the Federal Government policy on diversification of the economy.

Comrade Okang further stated that these efforts of the Governor Ayade-led administration is the right step in the right direction to decouple the State from over reliance on Federal Government allocation and provide employment for the growing  youth population of the State.

Some of these industries include: the Cross River State Garment Factory, the Cross River Rice Seed and Seedlings Multiplication Factory, the Toothpick factory at Ekori, the Cocoa Factory Ikom, the Rice Mill in Ogoja, the Piles and Pylon factory in Akamkpa, the Roofing Sheet factory in Okuku-Yala, Cala Noodles factory, the Calachika factory, the Cross River Pharmaceutical factory, amongst others.

In the January Edition of the Monthly Ministerial Press Briefing, Governor Ben Ayade’s Giant Strides in Culture and Tourism sector as well as road infrastructural development in the State were placed on the front burner, where their Commissioners Hon. Eric Anderson and Engr. Dane Osim Asu fielded questions from the media.

The University of Calabar has suspended a 200- level Student, Uzoagba Chinaemerem Goodluck of the Department of Physics over unlawful alleged possession and smoking of weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp.

The suspension was conveyed in a letter signed by the Vice Chancellor and dated January 17.

According to the letter, Uzoagba's suspension from studies is sequel to a report received by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Zana Akpagu on his alleged possession and smoking of Indian Hemp on Campus resident at Hall 4 on November 27, 2019.

The letter reads thus " You are aware that Indian hemp is a prohibited substance on campus.

" The Vice Chancellor has therefore approved your suspension from studies. You are hereby suspended from your academic programme in the University of Calabar with effect from the First Semester of the 2019/2020 academic session.

" You are to remain on suspension until the student's Disciplinary Committee concludes investigation in the matter."

The letter, however, charged the Head, Department of Physics, and the Chief Security Officer are to ensure full compliance.

The national vice president of PROJECT1000, a citizenship forum driven an urban professionals, Mr Dough ONAH has been appointed alongside Christiana Onuiri as co-chairs of Afika Youth movement for Nigeria hub.

The congratulatory message read
" ​Congratulations Dough and Christy.
The power team and board of trustees of AYM wish to congratulate both of you on your new appointment as (co-chairs ) for the Nigeria hub.
We take this opportunity to look forward to working closely and strengthen the cooperation between our organisation and members while decentralising our movement.
We commend the efforts of ​Chidinma Chikwelu Ijele​ the outgoing coordinator on her leadership. On behave of Power Team, we wish you every success in your new duties.
Further communications will follow suits. Thank you, ​Daniel Nwaeze​, for taking lead.
Viva AYM VIVA-​ "
Sign: Peter Nguafac Temate Fongeh Partnership and FUndraising Mobilizer (For AYM POWER TEAM)

Afrika Youth Movement
A pan-African, action-oriented, youth-led movement that strives for the participation, development and leadership of African youth to transform Africa and achieve their rights to peace, equality and social justice. We are creating a continent that respects the rights of all its citizens. Through our work, we promote the values that bind our continent; ubuntu, unity, self-determination, integrity and accountability.

Afrika Youth Movement​ was founded by ​Aya Chebbi​ (African Union Youth Envoy)​ an award-winning Pan-African feminist. She is the first-ever African Union Special Envoy on Youth and the youngest diplomat at the African Union Commission Chairperson’s Cabinet. She rose to prominence as a voice for democracy and shot to global fame as a political blogger during 2010/2011 Tunisia’s Revolution. She recently received the 2019 Gates Foundation Campaign Award. She is graduate of University of Tunis El Manar with Bachelor in International Relations, Fulbright scholar at George Southern University and Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholar for her Masters in African Politics at SOAS, University of London.
She is the founder of multiple platforms such as Afrika Youth Movement (AYM), one of Africa’s largest Pan-African youth-led movements, Afresist, a youth leadership program and multimedia platform documenting youth work in Africa and Youth Programme of Holistic Empowerment Mentoring (Y-PHEM) coaching the next generation to be positive change agents.
�
 The movement has grown from 500 to over 10,000 members today from 40 countries across Africa and the diaspora. A Power Team of 7 volunteers and Committee Chairs who lead activities in different committees and AYM Hubs across Africa has been formed and the dream has started to unfold because building the Africa of our dream starts with us.

PS: *This is an unpaid position, I am happy to serve as always, so please #DASH me money 😛 and lets work together to better position our continent, lend our voices to issues of social justice, human rights, peace and security amongst others...*
VIVA #AFRICA VIVA!!!

Warm regards,
Dough ONAH.

Authentic PDP Local Government Chairmanship Candidates for March 28th LG Polls, Cross River State.

1. OBANLIKU- INDIE, MARGARET UYILEWHOME

2. OBUDU - BONNY EWHE ERAYE

3. BEKWARA - DR.  JOSEPHATE EMEKA

4. OGOJA - HON. EMMANUEL ISHABOR

5. BOKI - PST. JOHN EWA

6. YALA - BARR. FABIAN ODEY OGBECHE

7. IKOM - KINGSLEY EGUMI

8. ETUNG - JOHN NKUM ETUK

9. OBUBRA - BASSEY AGARA TOM

10. YAKURR - OFEM EBRI OBETEN

 11. ABI - LAWSON ENANG ISONG

12. BIASE - ADA CHARLES EGWU

13. AKAMKPA - HON. LINUS ETIM BASSEY

14. ODUKPANI - MRS JUSTINA EDEM

15. CALABAR MUNICIPALITY- EFFEFIONG NTA EKE

16. CALABAR SOUTH - MRS ESTHER BASSEY

17. AKPABUYO - EMMANUEL OFFIONG BASSEY

18. BAKASSI - IYADIM AMBONI IYADIM

See list as signed and submitted to CROSIEC...

The Commissioner for Health Dr Betta Edu, DG Primary health Dr Ekpeyong and the entire health team has carried out a rigorous sensitization exercise in Yakurr LGA of CRS on the steps/modalities that will help prevent and control this deadly disease.


With visible pictures and flyers, a step by step guide was presented by her stating clearly what lassa fever is, how it can spread, the signs and symptoms of lassa fever, the treatment, as well as prevention of the spread of Lassa fever and what should be done in any case of suspected infected persons.

The people of Ugep has been advised by both the Commissioner, the DG of CRSPHCDA and the Obol Lopon to carry out sensitization campaigns in their various communities, villages, places of work, individual homes and even across market squares and churches so everyone will be aware of Lassa fever prevention.

The host community thanked the State Governor Sen Prof Ben Ayade for always putting them first in everything and choosing their LGA for this massive events/sensitization campaign. They reiterate their willingness to always support and stand by the leadership of Governor Ben Ayade and to continue to queue behind his visions when the health commissioner threw more light to them on how passionate the governor feels about them and his numerous supports and plans for the health system

Lassa fever is spread through:
1. Direct contact with urine, feaces, saliva or blood of infected rodents
2. Ingestion of food and drinks contaminated with urine, feaces, saliva or blood of infected rats.
3. Contact with objects, household items or surfaces contaminated with urine, feaces, saliva or blood of infected rat
4. Person-to-person transmission can also occur through contact with blood, urine, feaces, vomitus and other body fluids of infected persons particularly in hospital environments where infection prevention and control practices are not optimal.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LASSA FEVER
The early stages of Lassa fever presents initially like other febrile illnesses such as malaria. Symptoms of the disease generally include: fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea , muscle pains, chest pains and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, vagina, anus and other body orifices. It could also present as persistent bleeding from sites of intravenous cannulation.
The incubation period (time between an infection and appearance of symptom of the disease) is 3-21 days. Early diagnosis and treatment, increases the chances of survival. Inappropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, face mask, goggles etc., increases the risk of person-to-person transmission of Lassa fever.

To reduce the risk of Lassa fever, the following preventive measures can be carried out:
1. Practice of good personal hygiene by frequent hand washing with soap under running water and or use of hand sanitizers when appropriate.
2. Storage of foodstuff like rice, garri, beans, corn etc. in containers with tight fitting lids.
3. Avoidance of drying of foodstuff outside on the floor and by the road side where they can be exposed to contamination.
4. Proper covering of dustbin and disposal of refuse. Dump sites should be set up very far from homes.
5. Clearing the environment regularly.
6. Avoidance of bush burning which can lead to the displacement of rats from bushes to human dwelling.
7. Elimination of rats in homes and communities by setting rat traps and other means.
8. Disposal of all health care waste in a safe manner.
9. Practice of standard precautions at all times while handling patients and body fluids.

Any febrile illness that has not responded to 48hrs use of antimalarial or antibiotics should report to the nearest health facility for proper evaluation and treatment.
Health workers should maintain a high index of suspicion as Lassa fever can present like malaria fever and other febrile illnesses.
It is very important that health workers maintain standard precaution while managing patients.

"Obol of Yakurr thank Governor Ben Ayade for the choice of Dr Betta Edu. “The Yakkur nation is behind you; you will Excel beyond imagination"

"Describes her as a round peg in a round hole"


Ahead of the ongoing 2020 World Leprosy Day and the Lassa Fever sensitization  in Yakurr LGA, a team from the State health sector headed by the Honorable Commissioner for Health Dr Betta Edu arrives Ugep. A courtesy visit has been paid to the Obol Lopon of Ugep who received the team in his palace.

The Commissioner thanked him for the warm welcome and hospitality shown to her and the State team as she conveyed His Excellency's warm greetings to him and all his subjects before she briefly pointed out the three major/important issues that brought her down to Ugep which includes; The World Leprosy Day, Larsa Fever Outbreak/sensitization campaign and Diarrhoea disease outbreak. She informed the Obol of the Governors order to begin the complete upgrade and over haul of the Ugep General hospital.

She in each case enumerated the immediate modalities put forth by the CRS Government to address and tackle all this pressing issues assuring him and the Ugep nation as well as the entire State that all hands are on deck to ensure that the State remains free of any form of attack.

Speaking, the Obol Lopon of Ugep Obol Ofem Ubangha Eteng expressed his delight for having the team come not only to his community but also making out time to pay him that respect/homage in his palace. In his words; "This is the Almighty Dr Betta Edu that I've been hearing about, the one and only Betta Edu who i even got her contacts before seeing her face to face. I must thank Governor Ben Ayade for appointing you commissioner for Health as your appointment is indeed a round peg in a round hole. Your legacies are spreading across the nooks and cranny of the State and beyond."

“Governor Ben Ayade loves the Yakurr nation. He response promptly on all our issues and we are so happy with him. We thank him for sending you to us.

He concluded by giving a brief history of the said leprosy day stating that it was first reported in 1918 in Yakurr as a cure center was built in Iyeama and another in mkpani around 1920 same with Obubra when the crowd became too much to manage in Iyeama. He thanked the State Governor for choosing Yakurr and the massive work about to begin in the General Hospital Ugep as he promised to always supervise the ongoing work as was pleaded by the Honorable Commissioner for Health.

Amongst the Health Commissioner are; DG CRSPHCDA Dr Janet Ekpenyong, the Permanent Secretary CRSPHCDA Dr Mark Umah, the Director of public health Dr Iwara Iwara,Director of Administration CRSPHCDA Mr Bassey Evong, Unit head of TBL Dr Offor and a host of others.

CROSS RIVER STATE PRESS STATEMENT ON LASSA FEVER

The Government of Cross River state under the dynamic leadership of Sen. Ben Ayade will continue to ensure that it’s citizens are safe from diseases and disease outbreaks by prioritizing health promotion and disease prevention.

Cross River State Ministry of Health (CRSMOH) intensifies emergency preparedness and response to the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak in the country.

There is no confirmed case of Lassa Fever in Cross River state! Members of the public have been asked not to panic  but observe strict preventive measures to forestall  Lassa Fever out break in the state.

In response to the increasing number of new cases of Lassa fever across the States in the country, especially cases reported in neighboring states; the CRSMOH has activated an emergency response team to coordinate response activities across the state through effective surveillance and instant notification of suspected cases. We have activated a state Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) headed by the Honorable commissioner for health Dr Betta Edu.

This emergency response/ surveillance team is drawn from collaborative efforts from the CRSMOH, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), CRSPHCDA, Federal Ministry of health,the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), WHO and UNICEF representatives, State ministry of Agriculture, Environment and SEMA other partners.

This collaboration is intended to ensure:
1. Synergised effort towards a coordinated rapid response to any Outbreak of Lassa Fever disease in the state.

2. Rapidly increase communications and community engagement activities to ensure that Cross Riverians are aware of the risks of Lassa fever and measures to protect themselves

3. Provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other consumables across all the health facilities in the state.

4. Activation and equipping of the state isolation center to handle any suspected case(s) in the state.

5. Provision of Ribavirin and other supportive drugs and intravenous fluids for treatment of cases to prevent mortality.

6. Ensure the dialysis machines in the General Hospital Calabar and UCTH are functional to manage confirm cases where needed

7. Proper transport system to move samples to Lab at Abuja or IRUA, Edo State.

8. In case of any suspected case, Disease Survellance and notification Officer in that LGA must be reached, while Ambulance services provided to move client. In case of a suspected case kindly reach the state epidemiologist on 08038699957.

9. The training and/ or retraining of frontline health professionals for emergency response.

10. Intensification of health education and enlightenment in Efik, Ejagham, and other dialects in the state. Other technical aspect of coordination not stated here.

*WHAT IS LASSA FEVER?*
Lassa fever is a major public health challenge in West Africa, with Nigeria bearing the highest burden. It is an Acute Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) caused by Lassa virus.

The natural reservoir for the virus is the mastomy’s natalensis rodent (commonly known as multimammate rat). Epidemiological data shows that Lassa fever occurs throughout the year, but more cases are recorded during dry season, that is, from November through May.

Lassa fever is spread through:
1. Direct contact with urine, feaces, saliva or blood of infected rodents
2. Ingestion of food and drinks contaminated with urine, feaces, saliva or blood of infected rats.
3. Contact with objects, household items or surfaces contaminated with urine, feaces, saliva or blood of infected rat
4. Person-to-person transmission can also occur through contact with blood, urine, feaces, vomitus and other body fluids of infected persons particularly in hospital environments where infection prevention and control practices are not optimal.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LASSA FEVER
The early stages of Lassa fever presents initially like other febrile illnesses such as malaria. Symptoms of the disease generally include: fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea , muscle pains, chest pains and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, vagina, anus and other body orifices. It could also present as persistent bleeding from sites of intravenous cannulation.
The incubation period (time between an infection and appearance of symptom of the disease) is 3-21 days. Early diagnosis and treatment, increases the chances of survival. Inappropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, face mask, goggles etc., increases the risk of person-to-person transmission of Lassa fever.

To reduce the risk of Lassa fever, the following preventive measures can be carried out:
1. Practice of good personal hygiene by frequent hand washing with soap under running water and or use of hand sanitizers when appropriate.
2. Storage of foodstuff like rice, garri, beans, corn etc. in containers with tight fitting lids.
3. Avoidance of drying of foodstuff outside on the floor and by the road side where they can be exposed to contamination.
4. Proper covering of dustbin and disposal of refuse. Dump sites should be set up very far from homes.
5. Clearing the environment regularly.
6. Avoidance of bush burning which can lead to the displacement of rats from bushes to human dwelling.
7. Elimination of rats in homes and communities by setting rat traps and other means.
8. Disposal of all health care waste in a safe manner.
9. Practice of standard precautions at all times while handling patients and body fluids.

Any febrile illness that has not responded to 48hrs use of antimalarial or antibiotics should report to the nearest health facility for proper evaluation and treatment.
Health workers should maintain a high index of suspicion as Lassa fever can present like malaria fever and other febrile illnesses.

It is very important that health workers maintain standard precaution while managing patients.

Amb. Ettah Emmanuel

A former Aspirant for House of Representatives,Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency. Am indigene of Ugep in Yakurr Local Government Area, Cross River state. Ambassador Ettah Emmanuel O. Emerged the winner at the INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION SUMMIT & AWARDS 2020. (IESA) BANGKOK, THAILAND.

Congratulations!  AMB. ETTAH EMMANUEL O.
THE DIRECTOR GENERAL,
 NIGERIA YOUTHS ARISE FOR TRUE DEMOCRACY (NYAFTD). Proud Winner of IESA-2020, Bangkok!

IESA-2020, Bangkok

Welcome to the IESA (International Education Summit and Awards) 2020 Bangkok, Thailand!

We are glad to inform you that you have been selected as a Winner for the PRESTIGIOUS OUTSTANDING COACHING INSTITUTE of the year Award . Congratulations! It is well deserved! The International Jury, that selected you for the Award, comprised of highly experienced, accomplished personages from the field of education.

You will receive your Award at a Mega Educational Event on February 22, 2020 to be held in Divalux Resort in Bangkok.

NOTE: Accommodation in Divalux Resort also available

The Fee includes:
Free Participation in the Conference on the theme: “Quality Education in the Contemporary World Scenario – The Way Forward”.
Conference Kit
Access to all the Sessions, Keynote Speaker Session and Panel Discussions
Two Coffee Breaks, International Buffet of Lunch and Dinner
Participation in the Grand Awards Ceremony
An Award Trophy and an Award Certificate
Opportunity to receive the award certificate and trophy from the eminent Chief Guest in front of the media and other winners
Announcement by the Emcee with a brief profile of you/your organization during the event
Pictures and video of the representative accepting the award on stage. These would be taken by our own Media Team.
Permission for usage of the Award Certificate, Award Logos, Event Pictures/Videos in advertising and promotional campaigns, on official and third-party website(s) like Youtube, Facebook, etc. As well as stationery including letterheads and brochures among other things as per the official Limited Copyright License Rules and Regulations

We are confident you will not miss this wonderful opportunity for professional growth as well as to be in the limelight and add another feather in your cap! And in addition, the opportunity to visit the historical, beautiful city, Bangkok!!

In case you have any further queries, please contact us!

 We look forward to seeing you at this Grand Mega Event in Bangkok, Thailand on February 22, 2020!

With Warm Regards,

The retired N.B.A. star, 41, and his daughter Gianna were among nine people in a helicopter that crashed near Calabasas, Calif. A college baseball coach and his wife and daughter were also killed.

Bryant was among the passengers traveling onboard the helicopter. Nine people died in the crash, including the pilot, said Alex Villanueva, the Los Angeles County sheriff, during a news conference.
The sheriff’s department was holding a news conference at 8 p.m. Pacific time (11 p.m. Eastern) to give updates on its progress.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it sent a team to California on Sunday evening.
Daryl Osby, the Los Angeles County fire chief, said the crash site was difficult to access and that firefighters had to hike to the area.

It was not immediately clear how many passengers the helicopter was approved to transport, and fire officials said it was not immediately clear whether the helicopter was overloaded.

The N.B.A. sent a confirmation of Bryant’s and Gianna’s deaths to all teams and league employees Sunday afternoon, according to two people familiar with the document.
The other victims of the crash included John Altobelli, a longtime baseball coach at Orange Coast College, a junior college in Costa Mesa. Calif., as well as Altobelli’s wife, Keri, and daughter Alyssa, university officials said.

The Grammy Awards paid tribute to Bryant at the beginning of their show.
At the arena where Bryant put his stamp on the Lakers and the N.B.A., his death cast a pall over a typically ebullient event: the Grammy Awards.

The show’s host, Alicia Keys, paid tribute to Bryant during the opening of the CBS broadcast, performing “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” with the R&B group that made the song popular, Boyz II Men.
“Here we are, together on music’s biggest night celebrating the artists that do it best, but to be honest with you we’re all feeling crazy sadness right now because earlier today Los Angeles, America and the whole wide world lost a hero,” Keys said. “And we’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built.”
A spotlight shined on Bryant’s retired No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys up in the rafters of the Staples Center.

The music industry’s top stars mourned Bryant leading up to the show, from Taylor Swift to Demi Lovato and John Legend.
“In Staples Arena, where Kobe created so many memories for all of us, preparing to pay tribute to another brilliant man we lost too soon, Nipsey Hussle,” John Legend wrote on Twitter. “Life can be so brutal and senseless sometimes.”

Bryant and his daughter were on their way to an academy where he coached her team.
Outside the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, Calif., fans laid flowers and lit candles at an impromptu memorial for their star. The gym had handwritten signs on the door: Closed.

A few dozen people, adults of all ages, stood huddled in silence around the memorial of several jerseys, candles, dozens of bouquets, Sports Illustrated magazines with Bryant on the cover, and a Lakers flag. Written on one bouquet was “We love you Kobe and Gigi.” Another card, the shape of a Lakers basketball, read, “The day we lost a legend: 1-26-20 Thank you for being a role model for me and for others.”

Bryant was on his way to the academy to coach his daughter when the helicopter crashed, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to divulge details of the ongoing investigations.

The academy was hosting the Mamba Cup Tournament Series, a series of tournaments for boys and girls basketball teams from the third through eighth grades. All the games were canceled after the news of Bryant’s death became public.
Momentarily, a few fans wearing Laker jerseys started chanting “Ko-be! Ko-be!” and then stopped.

Eddie Lugo, 21, placed a throwback No. 8 jersey and candles on the memorial. He wore a blue throwback jersey backward, so that Bryant’s name faced forward.
“I was walking my dog meeting up with my buddy, complimenting my buddy on all the Laker gear, actually, when one of my best friends called,” Lugo said. “We were all just mind blown, we thought it was fake.”
Bryant was considered one of the best players in N.B.A. history.

Drafted to the N.B.A. directly out of high school in 1996, Bryant was named an All-Star in 18 of his 20 seasons for the Lakers and helped lead the team to five championships. His hypercompetitive nature led to occasional public disagreements with coaches and other players, but his commitment to winning was never questioned.

The winner of the N.B.A.’s Most Valuable Player Award for the 2007-8 season, and the N.B.A. finals M.V.P. in both 2009 and 2010, Bryant showed a rare commitment to success on both ends of the court, with a résumé that included two scoring titles — and an 81-point game in 2006 that is the second-highest single-game total in N.B.A. history — along with 12 appearances on the league’s All-Defense team. He also thrived on the international stage, where he won gold medals for U.S.A. Basketball in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

In 2016, after various injuries had taken their toll on the longtime superstar, he proved to have one more highlight in him, scoring 60 points in his final game while leading the last-place Lakers to a surprising win over the Utah Jazz.

Off the court, Bryant’s legacy was far more complicated. He was arrested in 2003 after a sexual assault complaint was filed against him in Colorado. A 19-year-old hotel employee claimed that Bryant, who was working to rehabilitate his knee following surgery, had raped her. The legal case against Bryant was eventually dropped, and a civil suit was settled privately out of court, but Bryant publicly apologized for the incident.

“Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did,” he said in his statement. “After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”

In retirement, Bryant became something of a champion for women’s sports and expanded his purview, winning an Academy Award in 2018 for his animated short film “Dear Basketball” while also creating the web series “Detail” for ESPN in which he analyzed current players.
“My heart can take the pounding / My mind can handle the grind / But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye,” he wrote in “Dear Basketball,” the poem that he wrote to announce his retirement that was the basis for the short film.

He was scheduled to headline the 2020 N.B.A. Hall of Fame nominees.
Fans gathered quickly at Staples Center, where Bryant delivered championships with the Lakers.

The fans who gathered at Staples Center represented the ethnic and racial diversity of Bryant’s professional city.
Leo Márquez, 7, placed a candle at the memorial, his eyes filling with tears. He couldn’t get the words out to explain why he was there.

“He wanted to come because he always watched Kobe on TV with his dad,” said his mother, Alejandra Márquez.
Adam Jackman, 18, a University of Southern California student from New York City, walked from the university to the arena.
“I’m here for the impact that Kobe had on the city of L.A., not just on the court but in the community,” he said. “This is the best place to be with the city as it tries to heal.”
Joe Rivas, 28, a registered nurse, was on a gym treadmill in the town of Cerritos when the news of Bryant’s death flashed on the television.

“The whole place froze,” Rivas said. “It sucked the air out of the room. I couldn’t believe it. I grew up with Kobe. He is my favorite player of all time.”
Rivas said he couldn’t finish his workout. He changed and jumped in his car to drive 25 miles to Staples Center, where he had watched Bryant play his last game in April 2016.

“He was not a perfect man but we all have our faults,” said Rivas, who donned a No. 24 jersey. “It’s beyond basketball.”
A college baseball coach, along with his wife and daughter, also died in the crash.
Among the other victims of the crash was John Altobelli, 56, a longtime baseball coach at Orange Coast College, a junior college in Costa Mesa. Calif. “This is a tremendous loss for our campus community,” said Angelica Suarez, the president of Orange Coast College, in a
statement .

Juan Gutierrez, a spokesman for Orange Coast College, said that Altobelli’s wife, Keri, and daughter Alyssa also died in the crash.
Last year, Altobelli led the Pirates to the California Community College baseball state championship, their fourth state title under Altobelli. He was named one of the American Baseball Coaches Association coaches of the year.

Among the players Altobelli coached was Mets All-Star infielder, Jeff McNeil, in the summer Cape Cod Baseball League. “He took a chance on me, kept me the whole summer,” McNeil told ESPN . “Him taking that chance on me, having me on his team, got me drafted.”
Fans also went to Bryant’s high school in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

The grief over Bryant’s death extended from coast to coast, with his high school alma mater, near Philadelphia, becoming the scene of a spontaneous shrine.
“I was heartbroken,” said Jasmine Strong, 29, who was visiting from Brooklyn and decided to visit Lower Merion High School, where fans brought flowers and other tributes after Bryant’s death. “I’m lost for words.”

She had charted Bryant’s professional career from its start: when he was 17, fresh out of Lower Merion, where he had led the basketball team to a state title in 1996.
“Aces Nation has lost its heartbeat,” Gregg Downer, who coached Bryant, said in a statement.
Indeed, others with ties to the school flocked to the campus on Sunday as word of Bryant’s death spread.

Brittany Ferro, 30, said she had also gone to Lower Merion and had been moved to come with two friends and her newborn son after she learned of Bryant’s death during dinner.

“We were very upset so we wanted to come and pay our respects,” she said. “He was one of the best of his times and he was admired by a lot of people.”

Bryant was a standout at Lower Merion, where he helped to elevate the basketball program to extraordinary heights. Bryant, who dominated the court from any position, was a draw — plenty would say the central draw in the mid-1990s.
“It was quite a treat to watch a future superstar,” said Rob Wilson, who still lives in Lower Merion Township and recalled taking his son to watch the adolescent Bryant play.

Soon after Bryant was drafted, he walked into a local diner while Wilson and his son were there.

“I remember him coming into Ruby’s and pointing him out and saying, ‘That guy’s a future superstar in the N.B.A., right here in our little Ruby’s,” Wilson recalled. “I was very touched by the fact that he was not being swarmed.”

Gov. Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania said the state would “never forget our time as Kobe’s home.”

“At Lower Merion HS, he captured our hearts and the attention of the world,” the governor wrote on Twitter. “He truly shined and brought pride to our state.”
Trump, Obama and the Clintons all spoke about Bryant’s death.

Three American presidents spoke out on Sunday after Bryant’s death, a remarkable display of public grief.

President Trump said that Bryant was “just getting started in life,” even after a career that forever marked him as one of basketball’s greats.

“He loved his family so much, and had such strong passion for the future,” the president wrote on Twitter. “The loss of his beautiful daughter, Gianna, makes this moment even more devastating.”

Former President Barack Obama, a noted basketball fan, posted on Twitter that Bryant was “a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act.”
The death of Bryant’s daughter, the former president added, “is even more heartbreaking to us as parents.”

Bryant and Obama had crossed paths over the years, with Obama welcoming the Lakers to the White House and, at another point, with the president and Bryant appearing alongside each other at a community service event.

In 2016, Obama even appeared to mimic Bryant’s “Mamba out” moment at Staples Center. Obama, making the final appearance of his presidency at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, closed his speech with “Obama out” and dropped the microphone.

Former President Bill Clinton, who was in the White House when Bryant ascended to the N.B.A., and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, extolled how Bryant “brought excitement and joy to basketball fans not just in Los Angeles, but all over the U.S. and around the world.”

“Kobe Bryant,” the Clintons added, “lived a very large life in a very short time.”
Federal investigators will look into the configuration of the helicopter.

The National Transportation Safety Board said a team of 18 people would be immediately involved in its investigation, and that officials were expected to arrive in California from Washington late on Sunday.
“Our team will be looking at the history of the pilot and whatever crew was on board,” said Jennifer Homendy, a member of the board. “We’ll be looking at maintenance records of the helicopter. We will be looking at records of the owner and operator of the helicopter and a number of other things.”
N.T.S.B. investigations can stretch for months.

Homendy said federal officials were trying to learn the precise configuration of the downed helicopter — a crucial clue in determining the cause of the crash.
N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver said Bryant will be best known for inspiring people to play hoops.

Adam Silver, the N.B.A. commissioner, quickly hailed Bryant as “one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game.”

“For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning,” Silver said, adding that Bryant would “be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability.”

Indeed, Silver, who led the N.B.A. in the final years of Bryant’s career, was certain to note how Bryant had taught Gianna, his daughter who also died in the crash. Silver said the longtime star was “generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna.”
Nike helped introduce Bryant’s nickname: The Black Mamba.

Bryant was associated with Nike for nearly his entire career. The company, which signed him to a $40 million contract in 2003, said in a statement that it was “devastated by today’s tragic news.”

“We extend our deepest sympathies to those closest to Kobe, especially his family and friends,” the statement said. “He was one of the greatest athletes of his generation and has had an immeasurable impact on the world of sport and the community of basketball. He was a beloved member of the Nike family. We will miss him greatly. Mamba forever.”

Bryant wore the first in his initial line of signature shoes during the 2005-2006 N.B.A. season, including the game in which he scored 81 points in January 2006.

In 2011, the company supported his introduction of the nickname The Black Mamba, releasing a commercial in which he was pitched an idea for an action film by the director Robert Rodriguez. And when Bryant was set to retire, the company christened April 13 “Mamba Day .”
Tiger Woods heard “do it for Mamba” on the course. He found out why after finishing his round.

Tiger Woods said that he heard cries of “do it for Mamba” from the gallery as he finished his final round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego, Calif., but he didn’t understand why. Then Woods’s caddie, Joe LaCava, broke the news of Bryant’s death as the two walked from the 18th green to hand in his card. Woods could be heard on the CBS broadcast replying, “excuse me?” to LaCava before he stepped into the clubhouse.

In an interview shortly after, Woods said: “It’s a shocker to everyone and I’m unbelievably sad. One of the more tragic days, I think, well, for me, the reality is just kind of setting in because I was just told probably about five minutes ago.

Woods, 44, and Bryant shared a friendship that dated back to their meteoric rise to the top of their respective sports during the mid-1990s and spanned adversities and scandals as both navigated fame, marriage, parenthood, and injuries. When asked what he would remember about his friend, Woods said: “The fire. He burned so competitively hot. And desire to win. He brought it each and every night on both ends of the floor.”

Players at the N.F.L.’s Pro Bowl reacted and fans chanted “Ko-be.”
News of Kobe Bryant’s death reached the N.F.L.’s Pro Bowl game in Orlando, Fla., where public address announcers asked the crowd at Camping World Stadium to observe a moment of silence to commemorate the Lakers star, which the crowd interrupted with chants of “Ko-be, Ko-be.”

In an ESPN interview, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees spoke about Bryant during the second quarter of the game.

“I had so much respect for him as a competitor. I know he inspired so many people in so many different ways,” Brees said. “I mean, one of the great competitors of any generation, not just with sports, but I think just the way he approached a lot of things and what he was doing now after basketball. So I pray for him, I pray for his family. I know we don’t know all the details yet but it’s a tragic loss.”

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, also interviewed by ESPN, said that Bryant sent him a signed jersey when he was drafted. “That meant a lot,” Jackson said. “That’s one of the GOATs. Him, M.J. and LeBron, them the top three.”
The BBC apologized for using clips of LeBron James rather than Bryant in a television report.

The media coverage of Bryant’s death spanned the globe, but a BBC clip package showing highlights of the Lakers superstar LeBron James instead of Bryant was widely mocked and criticized on Twitter.

The clip package showed James breaking Bryant’s scoring record in a road loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night while a BBC newscaster rattled off Bryant’s achievements.

The segment began with a still photo of Bryant with his daughter Gianna seated courtside at a basketball game.
Paul Royall, a BBC editor, apologized on Twitter , for what he said was a human error.

“In tonight’s coverage of the death of Kobe Bryant on #BBCNewsTen we mistakenly used pictures of LeBron James in one section of the report,” he wrote. “We apologise for this human error which fell below our usual standards on the programme.”

The governor of California says Bryant “made history.”

California’s governor said the state was mourning “the tragic and untimely death of a California icon and basketball legend.”
“In his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, he made history with raw talent and unparalleled dedication that raised the bar and paved the way for a newer generation of players,” Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, said in a statement that also cited Bryant’s charity work.

“He was taken too soon and he will be missed,” they said.
Fans reacted swiftly to the news.
Some 200 people had huddled together near the foggy Calabasas at the foot of the hill closest to the crash. Several people were wearing Kobe gear and had basketballs.
Paolo Santos, 27, had looked forward to catching a glimpse of his childhood idol at the Lakers game on Tuesday. “I’ve been watching him since I was a kid,” Santos said. “My stomach just hurts.”

“He’s a figure. He’s a legend. He brought L.A. back. He’s an L.A. icon,” he said. “He was a competitor. His drive, shooting in the gym at 4 in the morning. He’s what everyone wants to be.”

Philip Gordon, 45 of Winnetka, who was wearing a Kobe bathrobe over a Kobe jersey, Kobe shoes and socks, said he was watching the NFL Pro Bowl when he heard the news. “It’s so surreal,” he said.
“For 20 years I looked up to him. I became a fan of his as a person. It’s a huge loss for the city. He’s an icon beyond any Laker. We love Magic, we love Kareem, but Kobe transcends generations.”

Over in Echo Park Lake, joggers ran past residents of the cluster of tents on the lake’s northwest corner who were gathering around a table of donated food.
One man joined them and asked if the others had heard the news about Kobe Bryant. Immediately, expressions of disbelief rang out.
“No way!” someone said, punctuated with an expletive.

The man insisted it was true.
But slowly the reality set in.
Davon Brown, 29, wearing Lakers purple warm-up pants and a matching knitted beanie, said he moved to Southern California from New York years ago to play basketball. He saw Bryant as an example both on the court and off.

“He was way beyond” Michael Jordan, he said. “He was more omnipresent.” His game, Brown said, was more like dance.
Basketball, Brown said, has been a lifesaving force for him. And Bryant represented a powerful ethos.

“He had a killer instinct,” he said. “That self-love, that confidence transmutes into play.”
Bryant had been a subject of the conversation among N.B.A. fans this weekend.

On Saturday, the current Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James surpassed Bryant on the league’s all-time scoring list in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Bryant congratulated James in a tweet, with a hashtag, #33644, referring to the number of points James had scored to surpass Bryant’s career total of 33,643 points. Before Saturday, Bryant had stood third only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone on the list of career points scored.
After the game, James, who joined the Lakers in 2018, spoke at length about what Bryant meant to him, to the team and to the league.

“He had zero flaws offensively,” James said.
James described his long history with Bryant — how he had admired Bryant’s ability to go from high school to the N.B.A., how the two had met in Philadelphia where Bryant had insisted upon the value of hard work. Later, Bryant gave a high-school age James a pair of his signature shoes, which James wore in a game even though they were the wrong size.

“I’m happy just to be in any conversation with Kobe Bean Bryant, one of the all-time greatest basketball players to ever play,” James said. “One of the all time greatest Lakers. The man has two jerseys hanging up in Staples Center. It’s just crazy.”


Jennifer Medina, Neil Vigdor, Marc Stein, Louis Keene, Jill Cowan, Miriam Jordan, Mihir Zaveri, Jon Hurdle, Rachel Abrams, Benjamin Hoffman and Jonah Engel Bromwich contributed reporting.

Eriacy Confidence

The President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, a foremost body for all Actors in Nigeria has appointed 37 top nollywood  celebrities as Special Advisers. The list which includes popular Actor and former President of the guild, Segun Arinze, filmmaker and member of the Lagos State House of Assembly Hon. Desmond Elliott, Bob Manuel Udokwu, Emeka Enyiocha  and others. The president also appointed Cross River born filmmaker and blogger Eriacy Confidence into the presidential media Team.
Below is the full list

1.CHIEF OF STAFF…. IFEOMA OKEKE-OZZOUDE
2.    SPECIAL ADVISER ON INTERNATIONAL TRAVELS… AGILITY ONWURAH
3.    DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATIONS… SEGUN ARINZE 
4.    PRESIDENTIAL ADVISTER ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS… HON. DESMOND ELIOTT
5.    DIRECTOR MEMBERSHIP AND ETHICS… BOB MANUEL UDOKWU
6.    SENIOR SPECIAL ADVISER ON INTER-GUILDS RELATIONS…FRANK DALLAS
7.    SENIOR SPECIAL ADVISER on SEXUAL HARRASMENT…RONNIE DIKKO
9.     SPECIAL ADVISER AGN (UK)… Uche ODOPUTA
10.     SPECIAL ADVISER AGN(EUROPE) IKEH EKEMEZIE
11.     SPECIAL ADVISER AGN DIASPORA AFFAIRS(CANADA)…BROWNEY IGBOEGWU
12.    SPECIAL ADVISER ON PLANNING & STRATEGY…EMEKA ENYIOCHA
13.    SPECIAL ASSISTANT ON EVENT & SOCIAL ACTIVITIES…COL UDOFIA
14.    SPECIAL ASSISTANT ON PROTOCOL & LOGISTICS…IJEOMA
15.    PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON EVENTS & SOCIAL ACTIVITES…UCHE ELENDU
16.    PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT SOUTH SOUTH…PAM SYLIVA SIKPO
17.    PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT SOUTH WEST…KEMI ADEKOMI
18.    PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT SOUTH EAST…BROWN ENE
19.    PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT NORTH WEST…. MICHAEL YUSUF MICHAEL
20.    PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT NORTH CENTRAL/NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AFFAIRS…PAMELA PETERS
21.    SSA ON MILITARY RELATIONS/ GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES…STEVE EBOH 
22.    SSA ON POLICE RELATIONS… DORIS OGALA:
23.    PRESIDENTIAL SPOKENMAN…SAM ANOKAM :
24.    Presidential TECHINCAL ASSISTANTS
1.    STANLEY OTULAKA,  08133027002
2.    ANIMASHAUN OLA,  09069526528
25.    SAPECIAL ASSISTANT ON GENERAL DUTIES:  STELLA CHIOMA UDEZE: 
26.    SPECIAL ADVISER ON SPECIAL PROJECTS:   DON PEDRO AGANBI
27.    Presidential PROJECT CONULTANT:  VICTOR AGIH:
28.    SPECIAL ADVICER ON GENDER ISSUES:  INEM JOY PETER
29.    Presidential Assistant Home Affairs:  Chinedu Ikeagwuonu
30.    Presidential Adviser on Sports and Administration Ahiedu Gabriel Songito
31.    Special Adviser on African Union Matters:    Empire Iweha
32.    Presidential Adviser on United Nations Issues:  Rosabel Ifibiokhai
33.    Special Adviser on Insurance and HMO: DAN CHRIS EBIE 
34.    Special Adviser on Conflict Resolution:  Remy Ohajianya
35.    Special Adviser on Climate Change: Cajethan Ugwuegbu
36.    Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs: Mirabel Etuk 
37.    Special Adviser on Visa Protocols: Nicholas Any
                     
PRESIDENTIAL ONLINE MEDIA TEAM.
1. Eriacy Confidence         
2.       Theresa Moses
3.    Kea Adams                     
4.    PRINCE EAKUMO,         
5.    Ejiofor Ozioma Ijele;     

Today is a particularly happy one for me, as the dreams and vision I have for the progress of the Actors Guild of Nigeria has begun to manifest positively.

Thank you and God bless you all.

CRSMIDC: C’River Government partner World Bank, enrich lives with 92 CSD Plans and 218 multi-sectoral projects across the State; sets sights on more plans

The Cross River State Commissioner for International Development/ Global Donor Cooperation, Dr. Inyang Asibong, has highlighted the activities of the State Government in partnership with World Bank as they create sustainable development in the State through multi-sectoral projects. She made this known during the post Completion and Sustainability workshop for the Community and Social Development Program (CSDP) in Calabar.

Since the onset of the Governor Ben Ayade- led Administration, 69 Community Development plans comprising 168 multi-sectoral micro-projects and another 23 Community Development activities comprising 50 multi-sectoral micro-projects have also been completed.”

The projects spread across the state include classroom blocks, health posts, equipping of staff quarters, boreholes for pipe-borne water, culverts, mini bridges and market stalls, all in a bid to achieve sustainable development in the State.

Whilst acknowledging the contributions of His Excellency, Sir Ben Ayade, to the success of the program, she concluded by lauding the beneficiary communities for their contributions in the form of the donation of natural resources and their initiative to institute a sustainability maintenance committee to ensure the effective utilization of the projects.

According to Mr. Fidel Udie, the CSDP Head in the State, CSDP has impacted positively on the lives of all people living in the befitting communities through the use of micro-projects.

The overall objective of the project is to increase access to the poor and vulnerable and improve social and natural resource infrastructure services in a sustainable manner.