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Ankara plans to build a natural gas distribution centre with Russia in Turkey’s north-western region of Thrace, following a proposal by Moscow, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday.
“Together with Putin, we have commissioned our Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the relevant Russian organisation to work together,” the Turkish leader said.
He spoke to reporters on his way back from the Kazakh capital Astana where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin on Thursday proposed Turkey become a hub for Russian gas to third parties, including Europe, with a new pipeline and a natural gas exchange to determine prices.
“There is no delay here, now both sides will work together.
Every safety precaution is also taken,” Erdoğan added.
It was not immediately clear what the size of the planned distribution centre in Turkey will be and how soon it can be built.
Turkey lacks enough storage facilities and pipelines to become a gas delivery hub, energy expert Necdet Pamir of Cyprus International University said on Friday.
“Ankara needs to be able to bargain for cheaper prices for domestic use and have the right to re-export Russian gas.
If these conditions are not met, we cannot talk of a hub that is feasible,” Pamir explained.
According to Pamir, Putin’s hub proposal serves Erdoğan for his domestic propaganda ahead of 2023 elections.
“For Putin, he aims at using Turkey to give a message to Europe that Moscow is not without alternatives or options for pipeline routes,” Pamir said.
Turkey had two active pipelines with Russia, the TurkStream (with 15.5 billion cubic meters capacity per annum) and BlueStream (16 billion cubic metres).
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NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) under the auspices of Ghana High Commission in Nigeria has urged youths aspiring to obtain university degrees to take advantage of its forthcoming international students recruitment fair.
According to it, the standard of education in Ghana is high, being as a result of learnings from Nigeria.
Mr Nicholas Quansah, Trade Attaché, Ghana Consult General, gave the charge on Wednesday in Lagos at a news conference held ahead of a scheduled Oct. 17 to Oct.18 education fair in Ikeja.
According to Quansah , the fair is to give opportunity to school certificate holders or parents who want their children to have their university degrees in Ghana.
“About 16 universities, all fully accredited, are coming to the students fair.
“It is part of Ghana’s service to promote relationship with Nigeria, just as we participate in international trade fair.
“We encourage interested youths and parents to come for the fair, listen to the universities offers that exist in all levels of undergraduate, post graduate and PH.
D courses as there will be on the spot admission,” he added.
Speaking, Mr Yaw Dankwa, Recruitment Officer, University of Ghana, disclosed that no fewer than 5,000 Nigerians were presently schooling in Ghana, with free movement under the ECOWAS protocols and with resident permit.
According to Dankwa, the academic system in Ghana is operated in a way that students graduate at expected time, as they are made to study full time.
“We have lots of collaboration with Nigeria.
It is being said that the standard or quality of education in Ghana is rated high, this is as a result of what we learnt from Nigeria,” he said.
Also, Mr Banda Abdallah, Deputy Director, GEPA, who said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be involved in the admission procedure, assured that security of students was prioritised.
He also said that they could stay back after graduation.
Abdallah, who expressed that the fees were affordable, mentioned some of the institution to include University of Ghana, Kumasi Technical University, Central University, WISCONSIN International University College, Ghana among others.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) says its primary role is to advise Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora.
The commission made the clarification on Thursday in a statement by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, its Head of Media, Public Relations, and Protocol.
The commission was reacting to a letter purportedly written to the commission by Mr Hidayet Bayraktar, the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye on the welfare of Nigerians living in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
It stated that firstly, no official letter was received till date “in our office except the unsigned one being circulated in the media.
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“However, we thank the Ambassador and are glad that our recent media briefing has elicited his response pertaining to the unfortunate incidents in TRNC.
“It will be recalled that Hon. Dabiri-Erewa and a team from NiDCOM had been to the Turkish Embassy twice to discuss issues related to Nigerians’ welfare in TRNC, but got no response from the Ambassador.
“It is on record that we received petitions on regular basis from Nigerians, especially parents whose children had been victims in one way or the other in TRNC.
Some of the deaths recorded in TRNC without any resolution from 2016 till date include:
“Mr Ibrahim Khaleel Bello (25), son of Justice Amina Ahmad Bello of Kaduna State High Court (2020); Kennedy Taomwabwa Dede, 28, student of Eastern Mediterranean University who was killed on Feb. 1, 2018.
“Walshak Augustine Ngok, a student of Marine Engineering at Near East University, murdered on April 19, 2019. Gabriel Soriwei, a first year student of Electrical Electronics of Cyprus International University, Nicosia.
“Others are, Osabanjo Adeola Owoyale, 33, who went missing and was found dead on July 1, 2019; Augustine Wallies killed on April 19, 2019; Stanley Eteimo, ( 28); Hassan Babatunde, (28); Temitayo Adigun; Kubiat Abasi Abraham Okon; Oziegbe Gospower Airekugose; and Olasubomi Ope,” the commission indicated.
It appealed to the Turkish embassy to do all it could to protect Nigerians in TRNC, particularly students, and “we are optimistic that the reaction to our recent statement would elicit a positive and pro- active reaction from the Embassy.
“While we pray for the repose of the souls of many students who have died in mysterious circumstances in TRNC, we also pray and hope that only good stories would henceforth emanate from Northern Cyprus.
“Above all, what we have given is advisory in line with our citizens diplomacy.
One has option to either key into it or ignore .
“It should not be misconstrued as exaggeration or an attempt to scare away potential travellers to TRNC.
“Whether it is Nigerians killing Nigerians or drug-related crimes, there is some form of danger emanating from Northern Cyprus as alluded to in the ambassador’s letter.
“I do not dispute that some unfortunate criminal incidents took place in the TRNC, as it happens in any part of the world.
“However, the occurrence of such incidents is certainly not a daily routine and all these cases are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly by the TRNC authorities.
“Moreover, since in many cases, Nigerian citizens are not only victims, but also perpetrators of crimes committed in the TRNC, necessary measures will be taken by the relevant agencies in order to prevent young Nigerians and every other student from falling victim.
“This is our concern as responsible Commission whose mandate is to oversee the welfare and well being of Nigerians even if it is only one person, it is enough to exaggerate about on their protection, and we are glad that the Ambassador has promised to take necessary measures.
“In as much as we do advise our citizens to always be law abiding wherever they find themselves and be good ambassadors of the country, Nigeria will not fold its arms and allow her citizens to be molested or killed in any unjustifiable manner while seeking for knowledge in a foreign land.
“May we continue to witness peace, love, and mutual respect across the land,” the statement quoted Mrs A bike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the commission as saying.
However, the Turkish Ambassador in an open letter to the NiDCOM chief, said he had read the recent statement of the commission’s chairman warning Nigerian citizens against travelling to the TRNC.
He said he was compelled to express “our reservations about the manner in which the allegations are framed, as they are offhandedly publicised without any official lines of communication.
“There are currently 50,561 international students from 145 countries and various teaching staff from 65 different countries, in the TRNC.
“Until now, I have come across no other official statement, aside from Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa’s, criticising the TRNC on such grounds,” he said.
He added that though he would not dispute that some unfortunate criminal incidents took place in the TRNC, as it happens in any part of the world.
He said that his home government had taken necessary precautions recently making a new cooperation proposal to the United Nations (UN) to address the illegal migration issue, by establishing a joint committee between the authorities of the two sides on the Island, with the inclusion of the UN.
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NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara on Tuesday approved the release of EUR 232,000.00 into the account of Cyprus International University to settle the school fees for 91 students from the state studying at the institution.
This is contained in a statement issued by the state Commissioner of Information, Ibrahim Dosara and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Gusau.
Dosara said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would disburse the amount into the various accounts of the students.
He said that the amount included: “EUR 200,000 as tuition, accommodation and meal fees to be paid out of EUR 297,509.11 initially owed for the 2021-2022 academic year.
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According the commissioner, EUR 23,157.00 would be disbursed as Residence Permit; and EUR 8,843.00 to be disbursed to the 91 students.
“The government, therefore, appealed to the students, parents and the university to exercise more patience, as the matter will soon be resolved and the students will continue their studies with minimum delay.
“The government also called on the media to cross check issues before going to press, to allow this country to progress,” he said.
Dosara said the state government had offered the students scholarships to study Medicine, Engineering, Information Technology and other sciences in various institutions in Cyprus, US, UK, Netherlands, India and Sudan.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
China’s resilient economy injects more positive energy into global recovery
Recovery
Phnom Penh, Aug. 17, China’s resilient economy has been injecting more positive energy into the global economic recovery in the post COVID-19 pandemic era, Cambodian experts have said.
The Chinese economy maintained its recovery trend in July with major economic indicators posting steady growths in spite of the domestic COVID-19 outbreaks and heatwaves.
China’s value-added industrial output went up by 3.8 per cent year-on-year in July and 0.38 per cent over June, data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS) indicated.
The official data showed China’s retail sales of consumer goods climbed 2.7 per cent year-on-year in July, with sales of consumption-upgrading goods like jewelry and household appliances expanding fast.
Kin Phea, the Director-General of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that China’s economy remained resilient in spite of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With a series of economic stimulus measures in effect, I foresee that China’s economy will continue to recover strongly in the second half of this year, boosted by the ongoing increases in industrial production and consumption as well as innovation.
“The resilience of the Chinese economy is not only a great boom to China itself, but also to the rest of the world because China has become the stabiliser of global supply chains since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Phea said the sustained and stable recovery of China’s economy had been giving impetus into the recovery of the global economy.
“China has been a locomotive of global growth for decades and there is no doubt that the world’s second largest economy would continue to be the important engine of global growth in decades to come,” he said.
China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded by 2.5 per cent in the first half of this year.
The country’s foreign trade of goods increased by 10.4 per cent year-on-year to 23.6 trillion Yuan (about 3.5 trillion U.
S. dollars) during the period this year, official data showed.
Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, said China’s strong trade growth clearly reflected the recovering global trade and economy.
“The growth also proves that China has opened up its market wider for the world and has actively participated in international trade even during the pandemic,” he said.
Matthews said that China had been greatly contributing to the world’s economic development through the Belt and Road Initiative, Digital Slik Road, green economy, and blue economy, among others.
“The only way to bring back the global economy to the pre-pandemic level is to work together as one global economy and one global market,” he said.
Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said that the strong growth of China’s exports had resulted from the swift recovery of China’s industries.
“China’s robust growth in exports has not only benefited China itself, but also contributed to promoting global development and prosperity,” Mengdavid said.
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nannews.
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NewsSourceCredit: NAN
President Uhuru Kenyatta has underlined the importance of well-trained health workers in delivering the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) pillar of the Big 4 Agenda.
The president emphasized that qualified human resources are a key component in the health system that should not be overlooked when meeting the country's health needs.
“The latest technology and modern medicines are useless if the human element is substandard. Skilled, equipped, adequately supported and well-trained health workers are essential in providing services to individuals and communities, whether preventive or curative.
“Indeed, the success of our efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) depends largely on the availability of a health workforce equipped with the right skills and supported by the provision of accessible and affordable health care for all. ”, President Kenyatta said.
The Head of State spoke on Saturday as he presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the AMREF International University (AMIU) campus in Ruiru Northlands in Kiambu County.
President Kenyatta said that while the Covid-19 pandemic slowed down the progress of UHC in the country by straining the health system, it did not stop efforts to achieve it.
At the same time, the President noted that Africa's socio-economic success in the post-COVID-19 era must be based on the recovery of its health system, which relies heavily on health workers.
“…for that reason, there is a need for greater investment in training and policy reforms within the sector to make up for lost ground,” the President said.
He noted that Africa faces an acute shortage of health workers compared to other regions despite the continent having 25% of the world's disease burden, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates.
“This huge shortfall has created a dire need for at least a million community health workers and 350,000 midwives in sub-Saharan Africa, just to meet critical minimum levels.
“It is also worth noting that millions more existing health workers lack the necessary support, equipment and training to make them fit to fulfill their mandate,” said the Head of State.
President Kenyatta noted that the shortage of health workers in Africa has prevented nations from adequately responding to pandemics such as Covid-19, achieving health equity and meeting the health needs of the population.
In this regard, the President said that the Government has put in place a series of measures, including full support for the implementation of community health services as a platform for the provision of primary health care and UHC.
Other measures include the establishment of progressive frameworks to improve labor relations between national and county governments and health worker unions, as well as the absorption of community health workers (CHWs) into the general health system. .
Likewise, the President expressed the Government's commitment to increase internal financing for community health as part of the efforts to promote primary health care.
President Kenyatta commended the AMREF International University fraternity for its ambitious expansion plan to increase the training of health workers in Kenya and across the continent.
He said that AMREF's 65 years of innovative and quality intervention and training in public and community health have contributed significantly to the improvement of the health sector in Kenya and Africa in general.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said AMREF has been a key partner in the continent's quest to formulate a new curriculum to train health workers, noting that the new institution will be crucial in enhancing the organization's ability to deliver quality training for health professionals.
“And I am pleased, Your Excellency, that through the cooperation of AMREF and the universities that are here, we have made progress in preparing a new curriculum on how we are going to train all of our healthcare workers both at KMTC, universities and all institutions. ”, said the Health CS.
The Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that his organization fully supports AMREF in its efforts to build another training institution for doctors and said that AMREF's 65 years of service in the countries Africans have had a huge impact on the continent's health sector.
AMREF Health Africa Executive Director Dr. Gitahi Githinji said that AMREF International University hopes to receive a letter that will enable it to train more health workers.
“We will be starting an AMREF University scholarship fund to support young women from marginalized communities and fragile countries to come and study at this university,” said Dr. Githinji.
The event was also attended by the Head of Public Service, Dr. Joseph Kinyua, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, and the President of the International Board of Directors of AMREF Health Africa, Charles Okeahalam, among others.
