Wednesday, 2 November 2016

Buhari to Niger Delta leaders you can leave Nigeria if you have another country.

Buhari to Niger Delta leaders: You can leave Nigeria if you have another country ON NOVEMBER 1, 201610:29 PMIN NEWSCOMMENTS President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday at the State House in Abuja held a high-level meeting with leaders and other stakeholders to seek ways to end the militancy and the sabotage of oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta region. Buhari who said only peace can bring development however told the Niger Delta elders that “if anybody has a country to go to, let him go, we will stay here and salvage our country.” Buhari Niger Delta leaders In a statement issued to newsmen by Garba Shehu, SSA to the President on Media and Publicity, President Buhari, who did not read from a prepared speech, pitched a vision of unity and progress for the country in which peace reigns. He said peace, security, investment and prosperity are linked together, adding that “if we give peace a chance, investors will come here to invest. Nobody will invest in an insecure environment”. In a speech dripping with nationalist fervor, President Buhari said the problems his administration found on the ground were many, as illustrated in collapse of oil prices, inability of 27 of the 36 states of the Federation to pay salaries, absence of savings to fall back and having to deal with an elite who didn’t seem to care. All these, he said, made his government to conclude that: “life as usual is no longer affordable.” While welcoming the 16-point request presented for negotiation by the Niger Delta leaders, President Buhari said he was still expecting reports from officials he had instructed to review the implementation of the Amnesty program to determine where government fell short so that amends can be made. The President said the service chiefs were putting together their own assessment of the militancy situation, saying “when I have these reports, including this one (just presented), we will revisit the situation (in the region) to ensure that we succeed this time.” He however cautioned the leaders of the Delta that they had more to do than anyone else to bring peace to the region, given the influence they have on militant groups. He expressed the determination of his administration to stay focused on its key campaign promises of securing the country, fighting corruption and creating jobs through the improvement of the economy. “We are determined to make life comfortable and affordable to all Nigerians. If anybody has a country to go to, let him go, we will stay here and salvage our country.” The President who delivered his report card on the war against corruption and the efforts to secure the country repeated his call to the Niger Delta leaders to join the administration in bringing peace to the troubled region. “Please Your Excellencies, Your Majesties, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen; we all have our individual constituencies. Let us try to pacify our constituencies. Let us first recover our country, secure the country and let us invite people who will invest.” “Let us create jobs for our people and let us be accountable to our people where we are sitting on treasuries, whether it is local government, state or the center. We should ensure that we rebuild this country. Nobody wants to fail. So, the only way out is, if people understand and believe that we are doing our best at all levels, then we will have some peace. But it they have reason to doubt our performance and sincerity, then we will have problem”. In their own presentation, the leaders and Stakeholders of the Niger Delta Region led by Chief Edwin Clark, a former minister, put across to the President 16 issues for dialogue, for which they demanded a composite government committee. The issues included, among others, the completion of major road projects in the region, the take-off of the maritime university, the full activation of ports in Niger Delta and other water ways, the relocation of international oil companies to the region. Other issues include the issuance of oil blocks to the states and other stakeholders as well as the strengthening of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. They also broached the issue of fiscal federalism. The Niger Delta leaders reaffirmed their support for the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari and expressed total commitment to the unity, peace and stability of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr. Babachir David Lawal accompanied the President to the meeting. The Ministers of Justice, Defence, Petroleum (State), Transportation, Niger Delta, Education (State), the Chief of Defence Staff, the National Security Adviser, the Director-General, DSS, the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, the representative of the Chief of Air Staff and the Inspector-General of Police were also in attendance.

PREGNANCY

50 Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Pregnant woman grocery shopping — Photo © Photodisc/Getty Images

Pregnancy

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By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD

Updated April 27, 2016

Trying for a baby? Being healthy before, during and after pregnancy involves so many different aspects of your life. So, I've compiled a quick list to help you stay on the healthy side.

See your practitioner before becoming pregnant.
Start changing your food habits to include a healthy variety of foods.
Exercise! Starting now will help you stay in shape during pregnancy, can lower your risk of miscarriage, and has been proven to help reduce labor complicationsand length.

Educate yourself!
Eat a new vegetable you've never tried.
Check out a book on pregnancy.
Figure out what to do about chemical birth control, like the birth control pill.
Stop smoking. There are many programs to help you.
Take a prenatal vitamin. They can be prescribed by your practitioner or you can buy them over the counter. Ensure it contains 0.4 mg of folic acid.
Ask your partner to join you on your new healthy habit changes.
Track your cycles. Learning what you can about your cycles will help determine when you ovulate and when you conceived. These make for more accurate due dates.
If you need a new practitioner, interview before you become pregnant.
Ask your friends about pregnancy and parenthood.
Avoid chemicals that could possibly harm your baby. You can find these at work, in your home, and just about anywhere, be environmentally sensitive.
See your dentist before you get pregnant and brush your teeth daily.

Tell any medical professional that you may be pregnant if you are trying to get pregnant. This can prevent exposure to harmful tests and chemicals if you are pregnant and don't know it yet.
Stop changing cat litter.
Remember, it can take up to a year to become pregnant. If you have been actively trying for a year or more than six months if you are over 35, see your practitioner.

Act pregnant. This includes not drinking alcohol, even while trying to conceive. There is no known safe level during pregnancy and alcohol can cause birth defects.
Announce your pregnancy when you are ready.
Talk to your parents, what do you want to take from their experiences? How do you want to be different?
Rest when you can. Nap!
Start a journal or a pregnancy blog.
Use non-medicinal remedies for problems like nausea, heartburn, and constipation.
Drink six - eight eight ounce glasses of water a day.
Read yet another book!
Join a prenatal yoga or exercise class.
Keep your prenatal appointments with your midwife or doctor. This will help ensure that if you have any problems that they are caught early and kept to a minimum.
Take an early pregnancy class.
Remember to add 300 - 500 calories a day while pregnant.
Tour your selection of birth facilities before making a choice if you are not having a home birth.
Review the signs of premature labor and warnings signs for when to call your practitioner.
Talk to local doulas and start interviewing. Doulas can help you have a shorter, safer and more satisfying birth.

Keep a food diary to ensure that you are keeping up with your daily requirements.
If you are decorating your house or a nursery remember to avoid fumes often associated with paint and wall paper. Perhaps have friends do the heavy work while you help make snacks for them. Keep the windows open!
Baby sit a friend's baby and learn a bit about caring for a newborn.
Take a childbirth class. Sign up early to ensure you get the class and dates that you want.
Swimming is great in late pregnancy. It can help relieve a lot of aches and pains and makes you feel weightless.
Take a breastfeeding class to help prepare you for the realities of breastfeeding.
Stretch before bed to help prevent leg cramps.
Continue to exercise, even if you have to slow down. This will help you recover more quickly.
Write a birth plan. Something to help you clarify what you want or need for your birth experience. Share this with your practitioners and those you have invited to your birth.
Have film and cameras ready!
Practice relaxation whenever you can. Try for at least once a day.
Do pelvic tilts to help with late pregnancy back pain. It will help relieve your pain and even encourage the baby to assume a good birth position.
Pack your bags if you are going to a birth center or hospital. Don't forget your insurance cards, pre-registration forms, camera, birth plan, etc.
Review the signs of labor and warning signs.
Take a picture of yourself before the baby comes!
Read birth stories.
Kiss the baby!

HEALTHY TIPS FOR CHILDREN

The 10 tips to help you stay fit and healthy:

Do you remember when you learned to ride a bike? The most important part was getting the balance right. Once you could balance easily, the pedals could turn smoothly, to drive the wheels and get the bike moving.

The same thing is true when it comes to choosing our food. Once we have learned to carefully balance the amounts and types of foods eaten, all the organs in the body will function smoothly and the body will work efficiently.

Following these ten tips will help you stay fit and healthy. It’s as easy as riding a bike, once you’ve got the balance right!

1. Food is Fun… Enjoy your food

Sharing a meal with family and friends at home or at school is a great way to enjoy food. It is fun to see other people’s choice of food - what do your friends eat? Do you try different foods every day? Check out your lunch box or dinner plate. How many different kinds of fruit and vegetables can you spot?

2. Breakfast is a very important meal

Just like cars, buses and trains cannot run without fuel, our bodies need energy to work. Especially after a night’s sleep, energy levels are low. So, whether you are off to school, or out and about at the weekend, start the day with breakfast. Plenty of carbohydrates is just the ticket: try toast or bread, or cereal with milk, fruit or yoghurt.

3. Eat different foods every day, variety is the recipe for health

You need over 40 different nutrients (such as vitamins and minerals) every day for good health. Since there is no single food that contains them all, it is important to balance your daily choices. In fact there are no good or bad foods, so you do not need to miss out on the foods you enjoy. The best way to make sure you get the right balance is to eat a wide variety of foods each day.

4. Which group would you tip for the top? Base your food on carbohydrates

About half the calories in your diet should come from carbohydrate foods, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes and bread, so it is a good idea to include at least one of these at every meal. Try whole grain bread, pasta and other cereals to give you extra fibre. Have you tried baking your own bread? It’s good fun and smells wonderful!

5. Gimme five! Eat fruits and vegetables with each meal and as tasty snacks!

Fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods for giving us enough vitamins, minerals and fibre. We should all try to eat at least 5 servings a day. For example, a glass of fruit juice at breakfast, perhaps an apple and banana as snacks and two vegetables at meal times. Then you have already reached your total. How many different kinds can you spot in the supermarket? Why not try some new ones?

6. Fat facts. Too much fat is not good for your health

Eating too many of those fatty foods (such as fried potatoes, fried meats and sausages, pies and pastries) might not be so good for your body. Also go easy on fat spreads such as butter and margarines. Although we need some fats to get all the nutrients we need, it is better for our health if we don’t eat too much of these foods and get knocked off balance. So, if you have a high-fat lunch, see if you can have a low-fat dinner at home.

7. Snack attack! Eat regularly and choose a variety of snacks

Even if you eat regular meals during the day, there will still be times in between that you feel hungry, especially if you have been very physically active. Snacks can fill the gap, but should not be eaten in place of meals, only as an extra. There are lots of different snacks available. Your choice may be yoghurt, a handful of fresh or dried fruits, sticks of vegetables like carrots and celery, unsalted nuts or rice crackers, or perhaps a slice of fruit loaf or some bread with cheese. Occasionally, you may prefer crisps and other packet snacks, a chocolate bar, a piece of cake or biscuits. Whichever snack you enjoy, remember it is always good to include a variety of different types to keep things in balance.

8. Quench your thirst. Drink plenty of liquids

Did you know that more than half of your weight is just water? So as well as giving your body all the food it needs each day to keep healthy, you need at least 5 glasses of liquids a day. It is particularly important if the weather is very hot or if you have done lots of exercise, to have plenty to drink. Usually – but not always – your body will tell you this, by making you feel thirsty. Plain water is great of course; you can try tap water or mineral water, plain or flavoured, sparkling or non-sparkling. Fruit juices, tea, soft drinks, milk and other drinks, can all be okay from time to time.

9. Care for those teeth! Brush your teeth at least twice a day

Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Eating foods high in sugar or starches too often during the day can play a part in tooth decay. So don’t nibble foods and sip drinks all day long! Sugar-free chewing gum can help you keep your teeth healthy. However, the best way to keep a nice smile is to brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Also, after brushing your teeth at bedtime, don’t eat any food, or drink anything but water!

10. Get moving! Be active every day

Just like a bike may become rusty if it is not used for some time, our muscles and bones need to be kept moving too. Activity is needed to keep your heart healthy and your bones strong. It can also be good fun. Try to include some form of activity every day: it may be just walking to school and running up the stairs. However, games like skipping and football at break times are good for giving the body a workout. Swimming is a particularly good sport for keeping you healthy.