Newscast - Africa

Medical doctors in Lagos who have been part of the nationwide strike action called by the Nation Association of Resident Doctors will resume duties immediately.
The government in a statement says Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has met some of the requests of the issues which led the NARD to embark on the industrial action since last month.
Among the issues discussed was the circular issued by the Head of Service removing Housemanship and NYSC Doctors from the Scheme of Service.
The residents appealed to the Lagos Governor to revoke or suspend the circular. The HOS explained the importance of domesticating decisions made at the federal level.

Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly committed an anti-open grazing bill to the Committee on Agriculture after it scaled second reading.
The House also read for the first and second time, the state’s Value-Added Tax bill and asked the Committee on Finance handling it to report back on Thursday.
Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, described the Prohibition of Open Cattle Grazing Bill as timely and one that would ensure harmonious relationships between herders and farmers and protect the environment of the state and the South West.
He suggested that the bill should make provision for the registration of herders and prepare them for ranching.

President Muhammadu Buhari approved the appointment of Dr Ifedayo Adetifa as the new Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement says Dr Adetifa replaces former NCDC chief, Chikwe Ihekweazu, who recently got a new job as the Assistant Director-General of Health Emergency Intelligence at the World Health Organisation.

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria asked the Federal Government to stop state governors from enacting the anti-open grazing law.
MACBAN Secretary-General, Saleh Alhassan says the law would undermine the relative peace and stability currently enjoyed in the local communities, threaten the social order and exacerbate cattle rustling.
He noted that the Federal Government should create a ministry for livestock and fisheries as obtainable in many African countries.
Alhassan noted that anti-open grazing laws would destroy livestock production and send millions who depend on the livestock value chain into poverty.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the Rivers State Revenue Service to fully implement the State Value-Added Tax Law 2021 which he assented to recently.
This follows the failure of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to stop the state government from collecting VAT, having filed an application at a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
He says the way is now clear for the administration and enforcement of the Rivers State Value-Added Tax Law 2021 across the entire state until otherwise decided and set aside by the superior courts.

The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari has banned all commercial phone charging points in the state as part of measures to tackle the scourge of banditry.
He issued the ban on Monday at the Katsina Government House while inaugurating the committee charged with monitoring and enforcing the recently introduced executive order in the state.
Governor Masari believes that the latest measure, coupled with further collaborations with the Federal Ministry of Communications will drastically reduce the menace of banditry in the north-western state.

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the setting up of a Health Sector Reform Committee to commence the development and implementation of a Health Sector Reform Programme for Nigeria in collaboration with the State Governments and the FCT administration.
A statement issued by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, says the setting up of the Committee is a sequel to a Health Sector Diagnostic Review Report developed by a consultant, Vesta Healthcare Partners and the Federal Ministry of Health.
The committee will undertake a review of all healthcare reforms adopted in the past two decades and lessons learnt and factor them into the development of the new Health Sector Reform Programme.

Dozens of women took to the streets of the capital to demand their right to work, a role in any future government, and a seat at the table in discussions with the Taliban.
The protest began with 50 women marching towards the presidential palace.
Razia Barakzai, a protester told Al Jazeera that the women were stopped near the entrance to the finance ministry, where the Taliban surrounded them and kept them from continuing on their march towards the palace entrance.
Barakzai says the Taliban had employed both pepper spray and tear gas to try and disburse the crowd.
Barakzai says the Taliban which tried to encircle the protesters were wearing red banners and carrying guns.

Officials have said nearly half a million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Australia overnight.
Australia is under pressure to ramp up its vaccination programme and last week agreed deals with the United Kingdom and Singapore for a total of about 4.5 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, double this month’s supply.
Lieutenant General John Frewen, head of the vaccination task force, told broadcaster ABC that there will be another set of flights in a couple of days, but they will be getting a million of the four million every week over the next four weeks.
Frewen says one million doses of Moderna will also reach Australia in a week or so expanding a vaccine rollout, which also includes AstraZeneca.

The UAE announced a new visa allowing foreigners to work in the country without being sponsored by an employer, loosening residency requirements in an attempt to boost economic growth.
Foreigners in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates are generally only given limited visas tied to their employment, and long-term residency is difficult to obtain.
officials say those holding the new green visa will be able to work without company sponsorship, and can sponsor their parents and children up to 25 years old.
Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani al-Zeyoudi says It targets highly skilled individuals, investors, business people, entrepreneurs, as well exceptional students and postgraduates.