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Showing posts from September, 2011
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Revamping investment opportunities in Free Trade Zones As Nigeria continues to remain a top investment destination for companies looking for placement in the continent’s fast-growing emerging markets, exploiting inherent potential in the various Free Trade Zones in the country will not only facilitate inflow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) but also will boost technology transfer, writes Alexander Chiejina In recent times, economic and investment opportunities in Nigeria have become a destination of choice for most of Africa ’s key markets. With Nigeria still a top investment destination for companies and venture capitals looking for placement in the continent’s fast-growing and emerging markets, the country also hosts a host of non-oil  industries, driven by expanding consumer markets and rising demand for new goods and services. While some of the world largest multinationals keep expanding existing oper

Lagosians admonished to take personal hygiene seriously

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... set to address short supply of water in slums Worried over the recent outbreak of cholera in certain parts of the country and rising water table levels in the State, the Lagos State government is set to address inadequate water supply to many slum areas in Lagos including Orile-Iganmu and Agege with a view to preventing possible cholera outbreak. In lieu of this, Lagosians have been advised not only to ensure that all drinking water available to them are properly boiled but to ensure full personal hygiene and report possible case of cholera to a nearby government -owned health facility. Briefing journalists in Lagos, Jide Idris, Commissioner of Health, Lagos State admonished Lagosians to make personal hygiene practices their utmost priority in order to prevent cholera infection, a disease caused by a bacterium Vibrio cholerae . While noting that the presence of slums in Lagos is an obstacle to tackling cholera, the commissioner noted that recently, there has been inc

National health bill key in sanitizing Nigeria’s health sector

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Sick patients awaiting medical care ...as bill awaits President Jonathan’s assent Health has often been said to be ‘wealth’. However, a country with a largely unhealthy population cannot progress economically, increase her Gross Domestic Product per capita nor experience economic development, which is measured primarily by economic growth. As Vision 20:2020 aims at putting Nigeria on the world economic map, stakeholders in the nation’s health sector are skeptical that this vision may not materialized since the nation is off track in the achievement of health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); improving child, and maternal health as well as ensuring environmental sustainability. While there are fears that Africa may not achieve the MDGs if Nigeria does not, coupled with cases of Nigerians (both young and old) dying of different preventable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, vaccine preventable disease of childhood, maternal and neonatal conditions, s