News
Death tolls from Indian toxic alcohol rises to 56
Indian police said on Monday the death toll from those who drank locally made alcohol had risen to 56, with 117 people in hospital recovering, several in serious condition.
Plumes of smoke from funeral pyres darkened the sky over the Indian town at the epicentre of poisoning by a batch of illegal alcohol that has killed 56 and hospitalised more than 100.
Wailing relatives mourned the dead, draping flower wreaths on coffins as the community gathered in shock in the Kallakurichi district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
Others have been blinded after drinking the locally made “arrack” last week, which was laced with methanol.
Kokila, aged 16, lost both her parents to the toxic brew. She is determined to make them proud.
“My father wanted me to be an engineer,” Kokila said, who uses only one name. “That is why I will study and become one.”
Hundreds of people die every year in India from cheap alcohol made in backstreet distilleries, but last week’s poisoning is one of the worst in recent years.
To increase its potency, the liquor is often spiked with methanol, which can cause blindness, liver damage and death.
– ‘Can’t get my father back’ –
Top district police official Rajat Chaturvedi told AFP that “56 people have died so far and around 117 people are currently under medical treatment”.
Political rivals in the state have blamed each other for the deaths, and the site of the tragedy on Monday witnessed a protest by local opposition politicians.
Poor labourers in Kallakurichi district regularly bought the liquor in plastic bags costing 60 rupees ($0.70), which they would drink before work.
This batch, however, was devastating.
Some people went blind, while others collapsed in the street and died before they could make it to the hospital.
Murugan said he had tried to get his father, 55-year-old Vijayan, to give up drinking alcohol. Vijayan also died after drinking the tainted batch.
Murugan said government compensation payments would not make up for the loss.
“Despite repeated requests, he continued to consume liquor in the evening after work,” he said.
“The government has given us money, but I can’t get my father back.”
Tamil Nadu is not a dry state, but liquor traded on the black market comes at a lower price than alcohol sold legally.
Selling and consuming liquor is prohibited in several other parts of India, further driving the thriving black market for potent and sometimes lethal moonshine.
Last year, poisonous alcohol killed at least 27 people in one sitting in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, while in 2022, at least 42 people died in Gujarat.
AFP
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the sum of One Hundred And Ten Billion Naira (N110bn) to be shared to 18 universities. The move according to pundits is to boost medical education following the recent ‘japa’ trend of doctors and other health workers.
Each university will receive about N4 billion, including N750 million for hostel construction, to support eight simulation labs across the zones and increase enrolment in medical sciences.
The 18 universities benefiting from the N110bn grant are:
1. Nnamdi Azikiwe University
2. Bayelsa State University
3. University of Lagos
4. Ahmadu Bello University
5. University of Benin
6. Imo State University
7. University of Ibadan
8. University of Medical Sciences, Ondo
9. Benue State University
10. Umaru Musa Yaradua University
11. University of Nigeria
12. University of Calabar
13. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
14. University of Jos
15. University of Ilorin
16. Gombe State University
17. Usmanu Danfodio University
18. University of Maiduguri
This initiative is designed to improve infrastructure in medical schools through the rehabilitation of lecture theatres and laboratory facilities, thereby enhancing capacity to take in and produce more doctors, nurses, dentists, and pharmacists for the nation.
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has issued a six-week notice to unregistered businesses to register with the Commission.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the CAC on Tuesday, titled: “PUBLIC NOTICE: CARRYING ON BUSINESS IN NIGERIA UNDER AN UNREGISTERED NAME OR ACRONYM.”
In the statement, the CAC said failure to comply with the notice will attract a jail term or prosecution.
The commission informed the general public that it is a criminal offence under Section 863 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020, to carry on business in Nigeria as a company, limited liability partnership, limited partnership, or under a business name without registration. It is also an offence to operate under a name (or acronym) other than the one registered under the Act.
The public was further advised that Section 729 of the Act requires every registered company to display its registered name and registration number at every business location.
“In addition, the company is required to state its registered name and registration number on all its official publications, including letterheads, signage, marketing, and publicity materials,” the statement added.
The CAC emphasised that non-compliance with business registration requirements may result in prosecution and a conviction that carries a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment.
The statement continued: “In particular, the general public should note the provisions of Section 862 (1) of the Act, which state that any person who, in any document required under the Act (including the aforementioned official publications of a company), knowingly makes a false statement in any material respect commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of two years, in addition to a daily fine imposed on the company for every day the offence continues.”
In light of the above, the CAC stressed that all companies, limited liability partnerships, limited partnerships, and business name proprietors must comply with the provisions of the Act within six weeks of this notice.
Failure to comply will result in enforcement actions, including prosecution, the CAC stressed.
The Federal Government has declared Thursday, May 1, 2025, as a public holiday in commemoration of Workers’ Day.
This was announced in a press statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Aishetu Ndayako, on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, conveyed the declaration, emphasising the importance of excellence, efficiency, and fairness in labour.
Tunji-Ojo reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s dedication to fostering innovation, productivity, and inclusivity in workplaces.
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