WORLD BANK(IBRD) Nearly Double Funding in Ebola Crisis to $400 Million

Following the alarming evidence of the spread of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the World Bank Group
today announced that it will nearly double its financing to $400 million to help the worst-affected countries address the emergency and
build stronger health systems for the years ahead
This represents $170 million in new funding.
With today's announcement, the Bank will put
$230 million toward the emergency response
and $170 million for medium- and long-term
projects. The new resources – which the World
Bank’s Board of Executive Directors will
consider in the coming weeks – will be
targeted at rapidly increasing the health care
workforce and purchasing needed supplies in
order to bring care and treatment to all parts
of the affected countries. The funding also is
aimed at building a stronger health care
system because it will aim to train cadres of
health workers to bolster care at a community
level throughout the affected region
“The global community is now responding with
the urgency and the scale needed to begin to
turn back this unprecedented Ebola crisis,”
said World Bank Group President Jim Yong
Kim, who was speaking today at a special
session on the Ebola crisis at the United
Nations. “The real challenge now is to bring
care and treatment to the most remote areas
as well as the cities and then to build a
stronger health care system. This funding will
help the countries start a massive scale up of
training of community health workers and
bring needed supplies and equipment.
The World Bank Group previously announced
that it was mobilizing $230 million for the
three countries hardest hit by the crisis—
Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone—including a
$117 million emergency response. This
support – coordinated closely with the World
Health Organization, the United Nations, the
United States, and other international and
country partners – has assisted countries in
treating the sick, cope with the economic
impact, and improve their public health
systems
The additional planned support will make
$113 million that had been earmarked in the
earlier package for longer-term help
immediately available for the emergency
response. The new package will have $170
million set aside in medium- to longer-term
assistance for the countries’ health systems.

FACE OF THE WEEK

Carlos Slim, Chairman of Grupo Carso

Born: Carlos Slim Helú January 28, 1940 (age
74) Mexico City, Mexico

Residence: Mexico City, Mexico

Nationality: Mexican

Ethnicity: Lebanese

Education: Civil Engineering

Alma mater: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de
México

Occupation: Chairman & CEO of Telmex,
América Móvil and Grupo Carso

Known for: World's wealthiest person (2007,
2010-2013, 2014)Net worth Increase $86.1
billion (September 2014)

Religion: Maronite Catholics

Spouse(s): Soumaya Domit (m. 1967; died
1999)

Children : Carlos Marco Antonio Everétt Patrick
Soumaya Vanessa Johanna

Parents: Julián Slim Haddad (deceased) Linda
Helú

SOLDIERS AND MAIDUGURI RESIDENTS ON THE RUN ;BOKO HARAM

Considering the insurgent activities of the  Boko Haram sect  in the  Northern
Nigeria and their recent movement towards Maiduguri in Nigeria, it appeared,
yesterday, as though the army has given up, with
soldiers deserting and residents fleeing the
towns and villages.
At night, a resident said he was awake and
heard gun shots from a distance. “Nobody can
sleep anymore,” explained a resident from
Maiduguri, who wanted to remain anonymous.
Gwoza, Bama, Gulak, Michika, Duhu, Shuwa,
Kirshinga captured by insurgents
Gwoza, Bama, Gulak, Michika, Duhu, Shuwa,
Kirshinga – the Islamists have been capturing
new cities on an almost daily basis.
They arrive in hijacked army vehicles, fight off
the Nigerian troops and terrorise the
residents. “Boko Haram are committing all
kinds of atrocities killing and raping. At the
same time they are taking young girls in
batches and the city is littered with dead
bodies,” said Senator Ahmed Zanna. Bama is
just 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) from Maiduguri
and fell to the Islamists four days ago. Zanna
recounts how the soldiers who were supposed
to defend Bama, refused to advance any
further, noting, “They were ill equipped and
they just stayed in Kondudga.”
Sect gunning for Maiduguri
Maiduguri would be a major win for Boko
Haram in their hope of creating an Islamist-
ruled state. “Even a brief capture of Borno’s
capital, will be a significant symbolic victory
for Boko Haram,” said Ryan Cummings, a
South African security expert, who is also a
member of the Nigerian Security Networks.
Capturing Maiduguri would give Boko Haram
a very strong boost, believes the Nigerian
expert Nnamdi Obasi of the International
Crisis Group, added. With Maiduguri, the
Islamists would not only control a major city
but also an international airport.
The morale of the government troops is very
low and the terrorists are better equipped.
Military officers said: “We cannot do anything
against Boko Haram, because most of the
Boko Haram are using modern automatic
weapons and the military is using AK47s.”
A reporter in Adamawa State said the
town can also fall prey to Boko Haram.
We all live in fear, says resident
“We all live in fear,” explained a resident.
“Because soldiers come into our houses, take
off their uniforms and put on civilian clothes.
So if the military is already fleeing the fight,
we don’t stand a chance.”
Over 10,000 flee the fighting
Thousands of people have fled the fighting. In
Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, residents
have taken in those who had to leave their
homes. Ten people now live in one room and a
woman who goes by the name of Aisha
explained their fate: “There is nobody left in
our town. Everyone has left, because the
terrorists came into our town and they killed
the people. We are desperate for help.”
In Maiduguri, residents are now also preparing
to leave. “The people are scared. Many have
already left the city,” said a woman who chose
to remain anonymous. “We who remain here,
hope that God will help us.”
The residents have armed themselves with
sticks. They no longer believe that the army
will defend them. Thousands of young men
have now gathered in Maiduguri and are
demanding that the government recognize
them as local defence groups, so that they can
officially support the soldiers.
“There are soldiers in the city, but they are not
well-armed,” explained a resident who had
trouble sleeping. Even the Senator Ahmed
Zanna is unsure whether the army can defend
Maiduguri: “If Bama with an army of 1,000
can fall within three to five hours, then there is
every likelihood that these people will advance
towards Maiduguri."
In the meantime, official sources say that
Bama is once again under government control
and that Maiduguri is safe for now.
Nevertheless, the residents remain skeptical.

Telecom operator apprehended for N40m theft

A telecom operator, Samson Ukpolo,
was yesterday arraigned before an Ebute-
Metta chief magistrate’s court for allegedly
stealing N40 million.
The defendant, who resides at Plot 3685,
Lakeview Estate, 2nd Rainbow, Amuwo-Odofin,
Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of
conspiracy and stealing.
The prosecutor, Inspector Richard Odigie, told
the court that the telecoms operator, who
worked with Global Investment and
Communication Limited, situated at 5, Charity
Road, Oko-Oba, Ifako-Ijaye, Agege, Lagos, and
others now at large, committed the alleged
offence between January and August 2013.
He said they conspired to steal the said sum
belonging to one Mr. Albert Uduma, who is the
owner of the company.
The prosecutor said the offence was
punishable under Sections 409 and 285 of the
Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
The defendant’s counsel, Ola Ogunbiyi, urged
the court to grant the defendant bail in the
most liberal term.
Ogunbiyi further informed the court that the
defendant could not be responsible for the
offence of other employees.
In her short ruling on the bail application,
Magistrate E. B. Daodu admitted the
defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million
with two responsible sureties in like sum.
Daodu also ordered that one of the sureties
must have a landed property within Lagos
State, while the second surety must be a
Grade Level 15 officer in Lagos State or federal
ministry.
She further ordered that the two sureties must
deposit N200,000 each to the designated
account of the court’s Chief Registrar, and
show the court evidence of three years tax
payment to Lagos State government.
The magistrate, however, ordered that the
defendant be remanded in prison custody
pending the perfection of his bail condition
and adjourned the matter till October 22.

source:Vanguard.

WHO ARE YOU ?

With every passing day of your life,you get to meet people who consciously or unconsciously develop a perception about your personality. Most times those perceptions eventually becomes the pattern with which you are thus identified. These perceptions of people about you a times are actually the wrong ideas of who you really are. You ignorantly accept this perceptions which usually come in form of words into your psychological system and begin to act in accordance with them all because you do not know who you are.
The fact is,for as long as you don't know who you are,people will keep making you believe you are who you are not. At such your thought and actions will simply be a product of the nasty ideas of those who apart from not knowing you do not even know themselves either. It then means that the idea of knowing yourself is not just crucial but very fundamental in fulfilling your God given destiny.
You know who you are by
Studying the word of God which tells us about the mind and intensions of God concerning his children. And just as, he says in the book of Jeremiah 29:11 they are good and not evil.
You can also know who you are by asking God who is ever willing to hear and,answer you at all times(Mathew 4:4)
And you can finally know who you are by hearing the word of God from his preachers and the holy spirit.
Now that you know how to know who you are,we will like to ask you again,WHO ARE YOU?

FACE OF THE WEEK

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Born: 13 June 1954
Ogwashi-Uku , Nigeria

Political party: People's Democratic Party

Alma mater: Harvard University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Profession: Economist

Nationality: Nigerian

Spouse: Ikemba Iweala

Children:4
known for her contribution in the economy of Nigeria

GOOD CHARACTER.

One of the major reasons why people get so high in life and fall or even never go high at all after acquiring so much is because they lack good character. Character is the ladder upon which people can go high and its also the magnet that can keep people at the top.
Dictionary wise character is defined as the distinguishing feature or moral strength of a person. It means that your character either good or bad determines your level of strength morally.
Although we are made to feel that morales do not matter in the world of today its fortunately the determinant of what so many people become today. Fortunate i say because its a positive fact that one's result can take him to the top but may not be able to keep him at the top. Cultivating or developing good character is not a one day issue,its rather a cumulative affair that starts in a day. Its relevant in all issues as it includes good studying character,good eating character,good sleeping character,good talking and even sitting character. The truth is that everybody has a character but not everybody has a good character.
And if your character is not good it is nothing other than bad. You may have being exhibiting bad characters all the while but i think its time for a change of character. It may not be easy but always,keep this in mind that roam was not built in a day. You have a chance to make a better future now so don't allow your character become an agent of set back.

Cameroon army ‘kills 40 Boko Haram fighters

Cameroon’s army claimed
on Tuesday to have killed more than 40 Boko
Haram fighters who tried to storm a strategic
border crossing from Nigeria.
Heavily armed fighters “attempted to cross the
bridge at Fotokol” in the extreme north of the
country and opened fire on Cameroonian
soldiers, the ministry of defence told state
radio.
“Cameroon defence forces energetically
reacted to this assault which lasted three
hours,” the ministry said, adding that one
soldier was wounded by mortar shrapnel.
There was no independent confirmation of the
battle.
Gamboru Ngala, the Nigerian town on the
other side of the bridge, fell to the Islamist
extremists last week after they reportedly
overran the Nigerian garrison there.
For several days people living in towns and
villages in northeast Nigeria recently captured
by Boko Haram have been fleeing towards
Cameroon to escape the militants.
The extremists, who have waged a bloody
insurgency for five years in northern Nigeria,
seem to have changed tactics in recent
months, going from spectacular kidnappings,
massacres and suicide attacks to attempting
to conquer territory.
Cameroon’s Defence Ministry said that 246
Nigerian soldiers and customs officials who
had fled Gamboru Ngala into Cameroon to
escape the Boko Haram offensive “have left
the Fotokol area under military escort” to
rejoin their units in Banki in Nigeria.
Several hundred Nigerian soldiers abandoned
border posts further to the south along the
long and isolated border last week in face of
the militants’ advance, military sources said.
The Nigerian army denied its troops had fled
into Cameroon, instead calling the retreat a
“tactical manoeuvre”.

FACE OF THE WEEK

Mahatma Gandhi
Born: Mohandas Karamchand  Gandhi
2 October 1869
Porbandar, Kathiawar
Agency, British Indian
Empire

Died: 30 January 1948 (aged 78)
New Delhi, India

Cause of death: Assassination by shooting

Resting place:
Cremated at Rajghat, Delhi
28°38′29″N 77°14′54″E / 
28.6415°N 77.2483°E

Other names: Mahatma Gandhi, Bapu,
Gandhiji

Ethnicity:Gujarati

Alma mater: Alfred High School, Rajkot ,
Samaldas College,
Bhavnagar,
University College, London
( UCL)

Known for: Leadership of Indian independence movement,
philosophy of Satyagraha,
Ahimsa or nonviolence .
pacifism
Movement Indian National Congress

Religion: Hinduism , with Jain
influences

Spouse(s): Kasturba Gandhi

Children: Harilal
                    Manilal
                    Ramdas
                     Devdas

Parents: Putlibai Gandhi (Mother)
Karamchand Gandhi (Father

Vision and Mission

The major reason  why so many people do just everything  without weighing the effect is because they lack direction on what they really want. The want in,the statement above is what we regard as vision and to a very large extent,your vision determines what you do,better put "mission". Vision is like a desired destination while the mission is what you do to get to the destination. For any personality that must ever become relevant its crucial to have a defined vision and a well planned mission. Taking reference from organisations for instance, they state clearly their reason for existence whether for profit making or not for profit making. The two categories above determines what you expect from any organisation as which ever they identify with determines what kind of actions they exhibit.
Whats your vision,do you have a mission?