President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the composition of the Governing Council and appointment of Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities in line with the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2019. According to the Act, the Commission shall be headed by a Part-Time Chairman and six Members who shall be Persons with Disabilities representing the geo-political zones of the federation subject to confirmation of the Senate for a four-year term of office in the first instance, and may be reappointed for a second term of four years and no more. The Executive Secretary, who shall be responsible to the Council for the implementation of the policies and administration of the daily affairs of the Commission, shall also be a Person with Disability with a five-year tenure in the first instance, and may be reappointed for a second term and no more. Below are the names, designations and geo- political zones of members of the Management of the Commission: Hon. Dr Hussaini Suleiman Kangiwa – Chairman –North West. Oparaku Onyejelam Jaja – Member – South East. Philomena Isioma Konwea – Member – South South. Omopariola Busuyi Oluwasola – Member – South West Amina Rahma Audu – Member – North West Mrs Esther Andrew Awu – Member – North Central. Abba Audu Ibrahim – Member – North East. James David Lalu – Executive Secretary – North Central.

Residents of Owerri , the capital of Imo State , have appealed to Governor Hope Uzodimma and other relevant authorities in the state to expedite action on evacuating the heaps of refuse on the MCC /Uratta Road and other residential areas in the metropolis . They said the repulsive odour oozing from the refuse posed health hazards to them. A resident , Mr Hycinth Uwadioke, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the refuse heaps had been there for weeks. Uwadioke, a bricklayer , said the refuse on the MCC / Uratta Road posed health hazard to his family, adding that his three children had been admitted to hospital for three times. He stated that the refuse heap on the road had made the metropolis filthy , disturbed the free flow of traffic and affected business activities in the area . Uwadioke said , “ Many residential buildings are around the refuse dump on the road . Many of our children have fallen sick of infection with abdominal disorder, malaria and typhoid , among others . Personally, I have spent my hard – earned money in hospitals . “ My children cannot sleep without the generator being put on to power the fan to drive away the repulsive odour and mosquitoes . We are sending a Save – Our- Soul message to the governor to help us.” Another resident , who simply identified himself as Chief , said leaving the refuse on the road and near residences was wickedness and negligence on the part of the state government . He stated that prior to now, the area was never a refuse dump, and blamed the failure to evacuate the waste on the Imo State Waste Management Agency . Another resident of Ebikoro , Mrs Nkechi Osuji, implored the governor and the waste management agency to clear the refuse so as to save the residents of untimely death. When contacted on the telephone , an aide of the Chairman of the ISWMA, who spoke on condition of anonymity , urged the residents to help the government by dumping their refuse at designated areas. She said the volume of waste at different spots on the road was shocking as the agency had evacuated the garbage last week . “ The residents started dumping refuse there on their own volition. People should join hands with the governor and the ISWMA to sanitise the environment. We shall ensure that the dirt is evacuated within the shortest possible time , but people should help themselves , while the ISWMA does the needful ,” she stated.

Professor Folasade Ogunsola has secured the highest number of votes in the election held by members of the University of Lagos Senate to choose an acting Vice – Chancellor . She was the Deputy Vice- Chancellor , Development Services at UNILAG before her emergence . The result of the election obtained by one of our correspondents showed that she secured 135 of 167 votes. Prof . Ben Ogbojafor, who was also considered for the post by members of the Senate, secured 31 votes. One void vote was recorded They were nominated at the senate meeting held on Monday . The meeting was attended by 167 professors . Chairman of the Senate Emergency Committee , Prof . Chioma Agomo , also announced the result to journalists after the election . The PUNCH earlier reported that the Federal Government last week directed the varsity ’s Pro- Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Wale Babalakin , and Vice – Chancellor , Prof . Oluwatoyin Ogundipe , to recuse themselves from official duties , pending the outcome of the Special Visitation Panel set up by the President Muhammadu Buhari. FG had also asked UNILAG Senate to reconvene to appoint an acting VC. According to her Wiki citation , Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola was born in 1958 . She is a professor of medical microbiology who specializes in disease control , particularly HIV/ AIDS. Ogunsola was also an ex- provost of College of Medicine, University of Lagos and is reputed as being the first woman to occupy the position . She became the Deputy Vice Chancellor ( Development Services ) of the institution since 2017 . “ Her research areas have been centered on the regulation and management of viral diseases , particularly HIV “ She is the principal investigator at AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria ( APIN ) at the University of Lagos . “ She has also been the chairman of Infection Control Committee of Lagos University Teaching Hospital . Additionally , she is the chairman of the National Association of Colleges of Medicine in Nigeria . “ In 2018 , she expressed concern on disease prevention and control in Nigeria . She identified poor hygiene and overuse of antibiotics as practices that foster antimicrobial – drug resistance. “ Providing a solution , she maintained that sustained Infection Prevention and Control infrastructure and programmes should be built around a set of core components which include guidelines , training , surveillance , multimodal strategies for implementing IPC, monitoring and evaluation among others ,” the citation added.

At least 14 people were killed and 75 wounded including members of the security forces and civilians –in twin bombings on Monday involving a suicide attacker on a southern Philippine island that is a stronghold of Islamist militants, officials said. The apparently coordinated attacks happened in Jolo in Muslim-majority Sulu, where government-backed security forces have long been fighting the Abu Sayyaf group. Five soldiers and four civilians were killed in the first blast, when an improvised explosive device attached to a motorcycle parked outside a supermarket blew up, Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan told reporters. Sixteen soldiers were wounded in the explosion, which happened at around midday. Around 20 civilians were also hurt, Lieutenant Colonel Ronaldo Mateo said, citing the local mayor. soldier saw a person leave the motorbike outside the grocery store “where there were a lot of people” including members of the military. It immediately detonated, Mateo said. “Our soldiers are conducting security operations. That was the time that the improvised explosive device detonated,” he said. There was a second blast a short time later in the same street when a female suicide attacker blew herself up as police cordoned off the area, killing one person and wounding around six officers, Vinluan said. A solider had been trying to apprehend the bomber when she detonated her explosives, he added. Abu Sayyaf was “most probably” behind the double bombing, Mateo said. Listed by the United States as a terrorist organisation, Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of Islamic militants blamed for the Philippines’ worst terror attacks as well as kidnappings of foreign tourists and Christian missionaries. They also have ties to Islamic State militants seeking to set up a caliphate in Southeast Asia. Monday’s explosions come after the arrest earlier this month of an Abu Sayyaf leader on the southern island of Mindanao. Security forces had been on alert for possible reprisal attacks after detaining Abduljihad Susukan, who is accused of kidnapping and beheading several foreigners. He has been charged with 23 murders, five kidnappings and six attempted murders, police have said. President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman Harry Roque condemned the “dastardly attacks” and issued condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed. “We call on the residents of Jolo to stay vigilant and report suspicious personalities and unattended items in their areas,” Roque said. The Philippine Coast Guard issued a “red alert” for Sulu and several other areas in the restive south as it assists the military and police in responding to the incident. The explosions happened near a Catholic cathedral in Jolo where two suicide bombers blew themselves up in January 2019 killing 21 people. It was blamed on a group linked to Abu Sayyaf.