Jonathan, Sambo undergo heart attack, stroke tests

President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo, yesterday
subjected themselves to heart attack and stroke tests in a mobile
clinic. Both men undertook the tests during the launch of the Nigeria
National Stroke Prevention Programme at the Presidential Villa to
forestall the alarming rate of sudden death in the country.
Jonathan and Sambo performed the launch of the programme half way into
the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, witnessed by ministers,
presidential aides and some staff of the Presidential Villa.
Briefing State House correspondents after the council meeting,
Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the president
approved the programme as an antidote to sudden death syndrome.
He said government was worried about the alarming rate of sudden death
of Nigerians, particularly at their prime and therefore evolved the
programme to encourage people to check up their health status
regularly for preventive measures.
"The health awareness programme is to help Nigerians to check up on
their health on regular basis to take fitness seriously and take close
attention to their lifestyles.
"Apart from in-born pre-conditions, the main causes of stroke and
heart-attack are things that can be prevented like hypertension,
diabetes, lack of exercise, excessive consumption of alcohol and
smoking, among others," he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani
Alison-Madueke, has disclosed that the International Financial
Corporation (IFC) has shown commitment to finance the gas pipeline
infrastructure projects in the country.
She said the decision to finance the gas infrastructure was sequel to
the transparent manner the government handled the privatisation
process of the energy sector.
She said government was particularly interested in the financing of
the development of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano line.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama,
said government would in the next few weeks organised a forum for the
new investors in the power sector.
He also disclosed that the Islamic Development Bank had budget $2
billion to be invested in the private sector in the country.
Minister of Trade and Investments, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, said following
the last week launch of National Automotive Policy, Nissan Automobile
had written to partner with Innoson Automobile to establish vehicle
manufacturing plant in the country.