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Grassroot Electrification: Ugwuanyi Clears Coast for TCN

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The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has applauded the Enugu State Government for its support in securing the right-of-way for the completion of the power project being handled by the company in the university town of Nsukka.

Since 2006, the important power line project has been stalled owing to disputes between the TCN and host communities over right of way. When completed, the project would boost electricity supply to millions of residents in the Enugu North senatorial district of the state.

Work which commenced at the station 12 years after it was abandoned, residents of some rural communities in Igbo-Eze North council area of the state are celebrating effective commencement of electricity supply to facilities installed by Governor Ifeanyi Uguwanyi in his aggressive rural electrification projects across the state.

TCN’s Assistant General Manager, Transmission, Enugu Sub-station, Engr. Bakare Kazim, who spoke to newsmen said Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led administration has set the pace in helping to resolve the issue of transmission access line acquisition which almost stalled the progress of work at the 30MVA injection sub-station in Nsukka, calling on other state governments to emulate this exemplary leadership.

While briefing newsmen at the transmission station in Nsukka, Kazim said: “This 30 MVA injection sub-station has been completed since 2006 but for the problem of litigation and inaccessibility of the power line, it was not possible to hook up the station. Consequently, our MD/CEO, Mr. Mohammed Gur, made a move and contacted Enugu State Government and they had a wonderful discussion and he was able to convince the government to help secure the right-of-way and access issue.

“If this facility is left unused, it would continue to deteriorate despite the fact that it is a new sub-station. The MD met with the governor and they had a fruitful discussion and he (the governor) helped us tremendously to secure the access line to the station. As I speak with you, main access has been cleared.”

He added that the plant is able to give 24 mega watts of power which would augment the 12 mega watts coming from the obsolete 66KVA voltage level from Oji River which according to him, has been phased out in the entire nation, assuring that upon completion, it would enhance power generation in Nsukka and environs. He however warned those acquiring property close to TCN line to desist forthwith to avoid litigation problems.

Also speaking, the General Manager of the state’s Rural Electrification Board, Simon Atigwe, an engineer, said the state government decided to wade into the matter to resolve the issue of the right-of-way so as to give succour to the residents who need the service of the facility.

When asked whether the owners of the houses and economic trees where the transmission line passed were compensated, Mr. Atigwe said: “Individually, they have gotten what I feel should be fair to them but the state government has promised to assist them to ensure that what is due to them is given to them. Though the Federal Government pays the compensation, there are areas that were not involved in the job originally which the state government has accepted to pay.”

The residents of the area, Echeji Hillary and Amarachi Fabian expressed their happiness over the power project as that would translate to an end to the epileptic power supply which has marred social and economic undertakings in the area.

Reports from the rural communities had it that in the past few days, it has been celebration in Olido and some neighbouring communities in Igbo-Eze North local government area as electric power supply came on live, a development they had waited for in anxiety since the facilities were installed by the state government awaiting switch-on by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.

They commended Governor for keeping his promise of opening up the rural areas of the state to catalyse even development of the state.

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The Peruvian Government Has Officially Classified Transgender, Nonbinary And Intersex People As “Mentally ill”

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According to the country’s ministry of health, the controversial decision was made to ensure the country’s public health services could “guarantee full coverage of medical attention for mental health” for the trans community.

It also categorises “dual-role transvestitism,” “fetishistic transvestism,” and “other gender identity disorders” under the same bracket of mental illness.

The new law will change language in the Essential Health Insurance Plan (PEAS) to reflect the view of trans and intersex people as a mental health disorder.

Trans groups across Peru have loudly condemned the decision as a step backwards for the country’s already complex relationship with LGBTQ+ rights.

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Math Teacher Accused Of Having Sex With 2 Students And Getting Pregnant For One Tearfully Reveals The Baby Was Taken Away From Her

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The UK teacher who had a baby with an underage student while on trial for having sex with another teenage boy broke down in court after revealing her newborn baby girl had been “taken away” from her.

Manchester math teacher Rebecca Joynes, 30, sobbed to jurors over how her baby was taken “24 hours after being born” this past January — and now she only sees her for nine hours a week, Joynes told jurors on Monday, May 13, according to the Manchester Evening News.

“At the moment I have contact with her three times a week for three hours and that’s it,” she said through tears.

Joynes was arrested and released on bail on orders not to have unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 after allegedly grooming her pupil, known as Boy A in court, by buying him a $430 Gucci belt before bringing him to her apartment for unprotected sex.

She was suspended from school and eventually fired, but soon after, she began having a relationship with a 15-year-old boy, known in court as Boy B, whom she had a baby with in January.

Joynes, who has denied having sex with either boy when they were underage, told the court that when she learned of the allegations against her she had gone to the second boy in a “panic” and he deleted all of her phone’s content.

The former teacher denied having a sexual relationship with the second boy until after he turned 16 and she was already suspended from teaching.

According to her narration,

She said he had added her on Snapchat twice, which she only accepted the second time because she thought he “wanted to tell her something.”

Joynes said a friendship developed and he quickly became her “best friend” even though the boy would make flirtatious and sexualized comments toward her when he was drunk.

She told jurors that it wasn’t until after his 16th birthday that he messaged her saying “I’ve left school now” with a winky face.

After she received notice that she had been dismissed from her job, he went to her apartment, where following an emotional conversation, they had sex.

The two then entered a relationship that Joynes described as “quite toxic” telling the court how the teenager was “very controlling.”

After discovering she was pregnant, Joynes hid love notes for the boy to find around her apartment.

The notes eventually led to a piece of baby clothing that had the words “I love my daddy to the moon and back” written on it.

The court was told that she gave birth to their baby girl in January, but following an emergency court hearing, the newborn was taken away from Joynes.

Joynes has denied two counts of sexual activity with Boy A; two counts of sexual activity with Boy B; and two counts of sexual activity with Boy B while being a person in a position of trust.

Her trial is ongoing.

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First Man To Receive Pig Kidney Transplant Has Died

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The first Man to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died two months after the operation.

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), which carried out the procedure in March, announced Sunday, May 12, that Richard “Rick” Slayman, 62, has died.

They said there was no indication his death was a result of the transplant.

Transplants of other organs from genetically modified pigs have failed in the past, but the operation on Mr Slayman, who was suffering with end-stage kidney disease, was hailed as a historic milestone.

In addition to kidney disease, Mr Slayman also suffered from Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

In 2018, he had a human kidney transplant, but it began to fail after five years.

Following his pig kidney transplant on March 16, his doctors confirmed he no longer needed dialysis after the new organ was said to be functioning well.

“Mr Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation,” MGH said in a statement.

Xenotransplantation is the transplanting of living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another.

MGH said it was “deeply saddened” at his sudden death and offered condolences to his family.

Mr Slayman’s relatives said his story was an inspiration.

“Rick said that one of the reasons he underwent this procedure was to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive,” they said.

“Rick accomplished that goal and his hope and optimism will endure forever.

“To us, Rick was a kind-hearted man with a quick-witted sense of humour who was fiercely dedicated to his family, friends, and co-workers,” they added.

While Mr Slayman received the first pig kidney to be transplanted into a human, it is not the first pig organ to be used in a transplant procedure.

Two other patients have received pig heart transplants, but those procedures were unsuccessful as the recipients died a few weeks later.

In one case, there were signs the patient’s immune system had rejected the organ, which is a common risk in transplants.

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