Mr Tony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has reiterated the commissions commitment to promote and protect human rights of all persons living in Nigeria.

A statement by the commissions Spokesperson, Fatima Agwai, on Saturday in Abuja, quoted Ojukwu as making the pledge when he addressed theon-going 66th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights in a virtual conference in Banjul, The Gambia.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Commission as an A Status National Human Rights Institution to continue to work for the advancement of human rights in Nigeria.

Ojukwu in his address alsochronicled the work of the NHRC in integrating human rights into the national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has disrupted social and economic foundations of the society upon which the enjoyment of fundamental rights as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights are based.

NHRC set up mechanisms to monitor human rights violations and receive petitions from victims and human rights defenders during the restrictions due to COVID-19 he stated.

He added that in a six-week period from April to May 2020, the NHRC received 231 cases of human rights violations.

These cases, he said, included: extra-judicial killings, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, violation of right to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention.

NHRC issued three reports on human rights violations which were presented to the Government, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Law Enforcement agencies and civil society organisations.

The Commission, he said, also applied its normative and rule-making mandate to issue guidelines and advisory opinions to national and state governments on protecting the human rights of vulnerable groups in the COVID-19 response.

These include: The Standard Minimum Guidelines for Human Rights of COVID-19 Patients in Treatment Centres in Nigeria and the Advisory Opinion on the Protection of the Rights and Dignity of Almajiri Children in COVID-19 Response.

These pieces of human rights norms have become best practices which different countries and organisations are now adapting to secure the human rights of the most vulnerable populations in the formulation and implementation of programmes as part of the responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an upsurge in cases of rape and other sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Nigeria.

The NHRC, he said, initiated a nationwide advocacy week of action which mobilised all stakeholders including the governments at national and state levels, the National and State Assemblies and law enforcement agencies to respond to the rising cases of SGBV in Nigeria he stated.

The campaign according to Ojukwu recorded immediate success with the passage in the National Assembly of an amendment to the Criminal Code Act of 2004.

He also told the assembly that the National Assembly passed a Bill to Prevent, Prohibit and Redress Sexual Harassment of Students in Tertiary Educational Institutions and for Matters Concerned Therewith.

Ojukwu also commended the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights on the occasion of the 66th Ordinary Session .

Responding to Ojukwus address, the Chairperson, African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, Dr Solomon Dersso commended the NHRC for the enormous work andleadership which it has exhibited in the realisation of its mandate of protecting and promoting human rights, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: NAN News

Egypt

This raised the number of hotels reopened nationwide to 572, an Egyptian Tourism Ministry official said in a statement on Saturday.

The hotels have been reopened with a limited capacity after receiving an official hygiene safety certificate issued by a joint inspection commission from the ministries of Tourism and Health, said Abdel-Fattah al-Aasy, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for monitoring hotel facilities.

Egypt started reopening hotels in mid-May, but they were limited to local tourism initially due to the international flight suspension.

The North African country started to resume international flights on July 1 amid a coexistence plan to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming economic activities.

The government recently lifted a partial night-time curfew it had imposed since late March and reopened restaurants, cafes, theatres and cinemas as well as hotels, museums and archaeological sites for tourists, all with limited capacity.

Tourism is one of the main sources of national income and foreign currency in Egypt.

The countrys tourism revenues hit a record high of billion in 2019.

Until Friday night, Egypt registered a total of 86,474 COVID-19 cases, including 4,188 deaths and 27,302 recoveries. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Harrison Arubu
Another flight evacuating Nigerians stranded in the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic has departed for Abuja.

The fully booked plane, with 324 passengers on board, left the Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, on Friday night.

It is expected to arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Saturday afternoon.

This is the third evacuation flight from the U.S. arranged by the Federal Government in two months, bringing the total number of evacuees to 811.

The travelers were screened for COVID-19 symptoms and subjected to other monitoring requirements, including presentation of their coronavirus test results.

As usual, the departure operation was coordinated by officials of the Nigerian consulate in New York on behalf of the Nigerian missions in the U.S.

The Consul General, Mr Benaoyagha Okoyen, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that three persons were denied boarding for failing to present their COVID-19 test results.

NAN recalls that nine persons, including a family of five, were dropped from the last flight for the same reason.

Okoyen said arrangement had being made to accommodate them in the next flight scheduled for July 28.

COVID-19 test result is one of the requirements for evacuation under the Revised Quarantine Protocol of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

The U.S., which has been an epicentre of the COVID-19 crisis, is grappling with what experts call a second wave of infections, with a record 75,600 new cases on Thursday alone.

With the consular officials at the airport was Dr Philip Ozuah, a nationally-recognised U.S.-based Nigerian medical doctor and Chief Executive Officer of Montefiore Medical Centre, New York.

Ozuah told NAN he was there in solidarity with the consular officials for the amazing evacuation operations.

Some executive members of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Americas (NIDOA) led by their Treasurer, Mr Kazeem Bello, were also on hand to lend their support.

They distributed free safety kits, including masks and hand sanitizers, to the evacuees.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 updates by NCDC

observing hand hygiene frequently.

Source: NAN News

WHO

By Cecilia Ologunagba
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says 10 countries account for 88 per cent (440,672) of all reported Coronavirus (COVID19) cases in the African Region.

WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, disclosed this in a report posted on its official Twitter account @WHOAFRO on Friday.

The UN health agency in COVID-19 WHO Africa Region External Report 20,which was issued on July 15 stated that South Africa accounted for more than half of cases reported.

It, however, listed the 10 countries as South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria, Cameroon, Cte dIvoire, Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

According to the report, COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve in the WHO African Region since it was first detected in Algeria on Feb.25, 2020.

Since our last External Situation Report 19 issued on July 8, 2020, a total of 108,098 new confirmed COVID-19 cases (a 27 per cent increase) was reported from 45 countries from 8 to 14 July, 2020.

Of the 108, 098 reported new cases, the majority, 76 per cent (82,437), were recorded in South Africa, which remains the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak in the region.

South Africa is now the eighth most affected country globally, with its cumulative number of cases (298, 292).

South Africa cases exceed that of the United Kingdom (290, 137) and Iran (Islamic Republic of) (259,652), which previously reported the highest numbers and are now in the ninth and tenth position, respectively.

On July 11, 2020, the WHO African Region and South Africa recorded their highest daily case counts of 17, 232 and 12, 349, respectively.

During this period, WHO stated that five countries in the region observed the highest percentage increase in incidence cases.

The countries are Lesotho 181 per cent (from 91 to 256 cases), Namibia 60 per cent (from 539 to 864 cases), Madagascar 54 per cent (from 3, 472 to 5,343 cases).

Also, Burundi recorded 41 per cent increase from 191 to 269 cases and Angola 40 per cent from previous 386 cases to 541 cases.

Lesotho and Namibia have been among the top five countries recording the highest percentage increase for the past three reporting periods.

Equatorial Guinea and United Republic of Tanzania did not officially submit reports indicating any confirmed case.

A total of 101 new health worker infections were recorded from three countries: Malawi (44), Lesotho (17), Mozambique (15), Guinea-Bissau (11), South Sudan (5), Sierra Leone (5) and Zambia (4).

In addition, it stated that Namibia reported two new deaths of health workers for the first time; no new country reported any health worker infection for the first time in this reporting period.

From July 8 to July 14, it stated that 1,231 new COVID-19 related deaths (17 per cent increase) were registered in 32 countries, with 844 (69 per cent) of the deaths recorded in South Africa, similar to the previous period.

This was followed by Nigeria, with 85 (6.9 per cent) deaths and then Algeria with 60 (4.9 per cent) deaths.

The report said as at July 14, 2020, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in the region surpassed the 500, 000 mark.

It is now at 503,122 cases including 502, 801 confirmed and 321 probable cases, reported across the 47 Member States.

The probable cases have been reported from Sao Tome and Principe (320) and Democratic Republic of the Congo, one case.

According to the report, South Africa has registered more than half, 59 per cent (298, 292) of all reported confirmed cases in the region.

The other countries that reported large numbers of cases are Nigeria with 33, 616 cases, Ghana (24, 988), Algeria (20, 216) and Cameroon (15, 173).

Others are Cte dIvoire which reported 13, 037 cases, Kenya (10, 791), Senegal (8, 243), Ethiopia (8, 181) and DRC with 8, 135 reported cases.

These 10 countries collectively account for 88 per cent (440, 672) of all reported cases.

Of the 503, 122 COVID-19 cases reported, 263 969 (53 per cent) have recovered from across all the 47 countries in the region.

The report further stated that a total of 8, 607 deaths had been reported in 44 countries, giving an overall case fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.7 per cent.

Three countries, including, Eritrea, Seychelles and Uganda have not registered any COVID-19 related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, it stated. (

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

Australias Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cancelled the next planned sitting of the federal parliament in Canberra due to the growing spread of COVID-19 cases, especially in the countrys two largest cities of Melbourne and Sydney.

Morrison announced on Saturday he was cancelling the sitting on the advice of the chief medical officer who warned of a significant risk in allowing politicians to come to Canberra,due to increased community transmission of the virus in Melbourne and Sydney.

The government cannot ignore the risk to parliamentarians, their staff, the staff within the parliament and the broader community, Morrison said in a statement.

In Canberra, the number of COVID-19 cases was zero for weeks, until several arrivals from Melbourne brought new cases in July.

The parliament,due to return onAug. 4, will now return on Aug. 24.

Opposition Labour Leader, Anthony Albanese,accepted that the prime ministers decisionwas based on medical advice, but said he is disappointed the government willbe avoiding scrutiny.

On Thursday, the government plans to lay out its post-pandemic economic recovery plan, which would have been a topic of discussion in the parliament.

Victoria, the state of which Melbourne is the capital,on Saturday reported 217 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths both people aged in their 80s Premier Daniel Andrews said.

The new figures come a day after the state reported three deaths and 428 new virus cases, which was the highest ever single-day increase in the country since the pandemic began.

The states outbreak, which has been mostly community transmission,started late last month and health authorities are testing more than 20,000 people a day.

The increase is said to have been due tosecurity lapses in hotel quarantine for people returning to Melbourne from overseas.

A total of 405 health care officers have been infected, including 11 that tested positive overnight, health authorities said on Saturday.

More than 150 police officers have also been put in self-isolation after potentially being exposed to the virus.

While other parts of Australia have been relaxingrestrictions, Victorias borders have been shut from other states.

About five million Melburnians have been asked to stay home unless for essential work and to wear a mask in public.

Overnight, there were 15 new cases in New South Wales, with most cases in Sydney, state health authorities said on Saturday.

A man from Melbourne is responsible for increased cases in Sydney, which are largely related to a cluster ata pub in the citys south-west.

So far, at least 45 cases have been linked to the venue.

The latest spike forced the New South Wales government to ban dancing,singing and minglingat weddingswith caps at 150 people.

Restrictions have also been re-imposed for funerals and places of worship, which can now only have 100 people.

The latest spikes in Melbourne and Sydney have dampenedAustralias status as one of the countries on the way to eradicateCOVID-19.

Australia has recorded more than 11,000 coronavirus cases and 118 COVID-19-related deaths. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Erosion Site in Abia ( file Photo)

By Sam Oditah

The Ecological Fund Office (EFO) has handed over the Oguduasa Gully Erosion and Flood Works in Abia to a contractor, to commence rehabilitation of the project.

The EFO, which is a unit in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, contracted Messrs Foldams Engineering Company Ltd., to handle the rehabilitation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the cost of the contract was, however, not disclosed.

The EFO Permanent Secretary, Dr Habiba Lawal, performed the contract-signing ceremony at Isiukwuato, near Umuahia.

He said that the project was one of 20 ecological intervention projects, approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for the first quarter of this year.

Lawal, who was represented by a Director in the agency, Mr Collins Igwe, said the contract was awarded by the EFOs tenders board.

It is the resolve of the present administration that no part of the country suffers any neglect, owing to its geographical location or political consideration.

She said that the project was initiated through a request for an urgent intervention forwarded to the agency by Rep. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency.

Lawal said that when completed, the project would help to arrest the continuous soil erosion and flooding, ravaging the Oguduasa communities.

This will also go a long way in mitigating the impact of associated flooding being experienced within Oguduasa communities.

The intervention is to be implemented for the overall wellbeing of the communities, Lawal said, noting that it would also bring socio-economic development to the area.

The director implored residents of the area to give the contractor and consultant the needed support and cooperation by ensuring the safety of their lives and property.

In her remarks, Onyejeocha said the project was first captured in the 2007 budget but could not be executed because of a lack of design.

She said that she reminded the president about the erosion, when she accompanied traditional rulers from Oguduasa on a courtesy visit to Aso Rock.

I reminded the president about the road as a condition for my constituency to vote for him.

In 2019, the Ecological Fund Office visited the constituency and identified 10 erosion sites, the lawmaker said, adding: Just two weeks ago, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved it.

Onyejeocha thanked Buhari and the FEC for the approval of the project, saying that tackling the erosion menace would bring relief to affected communities.

The road is critical to the economy of the area and the gully erosion poses serious danger to the lives of the natives, motorists and commuters.

The erosion site also provides a safe haven for kidnappers, robbers and rapists, who regularly attack unsuspecting travellers.

Onyejeocha admonished politicians from the area to stop playing politics with issues affecting human lives.

I cannot play politics with erosion sites or peoples lives.

My campaign was not based on frivolities, she added.

In an interview with newsmen, the project consultant, Mr Farukuoye Adeyinka, who declined to disclose the contract sum, said the project would be delivered between four to six months.

Also, Eze Okey Udeh, the Traditional Ruler of Oguduasa Autonomous Community in Isuikwuato Local Government Area, thanked the president, EFO and Onyejeocha for coming to their rescue.

He said that the area had been subjected to untold socio-economic hardship, due to the erosion.

Our communities have been cut off from our neighbouring communities. Our farmlands have been washed away, hampering economic development in our area, the monarch said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos

By Yemi Adeleye

The Lagos State Government has announced that rehabilitation of alternative routes to be used during the closure of the Third Mainland Bridge had been carried out.

The states Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, made the announcement in a statement in Ikeja.

The statement was signed by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the ministry, Mrs Bolanle Ogunlola.

Oladeinde was cited as making the disclosure while providing an update on the readiness of the state for the partial closure of the bridge, slated for July 24.

The commissioner said that provision of the alternative routes was in line with the State Governments agenda to ensure safety and free flow of traffic at all times.

According to him, the repair of the bridge by the Federal Ministry of Works, expected to last six months, is to fix worn out expansion joints of the bridge.

Oladeinde said that Iddo inwards Carter Bridge, Market Road inwards Herbert Macaulay Road and Herbert Macaulay Road by Abeokuta Street as well as Herbert Macaulay by Cemetery and Apapa Road inwards Oyingbo had been fixed.

He said that the first phase of the bridge rehabilitation would focus on Oworonshoki inwards Lagos Island in the morning with traffic diversion from 12.00 midnight to 1.00 p.m.

According to him, Lagos Island inwards Oworonshoki will divert traffic in the afternoon from 1.00 p.m. to 12.00 midnight.

Different options have been provided for motorists to navigate their journeys.

We advise motorists heading towards Ikeja and Ikorodu Road from Osborne Road, Ikoyi in the morning to make use of Carter Bridge to access Eko Bridge through Ijora Olopa.

This will lead them through Funsho Williams Avenue to Doman Long Bridge to Ikorodu or to use Carter Bridge to Iddo through Oyingbo to Herbert Macaulay to Jibowu and link Ikorodu Road.

We advise motorists coming from Victoria Island to utilise Ozumba Mbadiwe Road to Falomo Bridge through Alfred Rewane to Old Kingsway Road, Osborne to Ilubirin and Carter Bridge.

Oladeinde said that as a second option, motorists are advised to take Bonny Camp to Independence Bridge to Marina Bridge through Apongbon to Eko Bridge, Ijora Olopa, Iddo and Oyingbo.

In the afternoon, road users inbound Lagos Island are advised to use Ojota on Ikorodu road to access Funsho Williams Avenue through Eko Bridge/Apongbon axis or to utilise Ikorodu road to access Fadeyi/Jibowu/Yaba axis to access Oyingbo-Iddo to Carter Bridge.

The commissioner said that motorists could also use Oshodi/Charity through Agege Motor Road to access Cappa to link Ilupeju By-pass or Mushin to get to Town Planning Way to link Ikorodu Road.

He said that motorists could also access Moshalasi/Idi-Oro from Mushin to access Funsho Williams Avenue and connect Eko Bridge to get to Apongbon or use Empire Road to access Yaba to link Oyingbo-Iddo axis.

Oladeinde said that motorists coming from the International Airport to Lagos were advised to use Oshodi-Oke to get to Town Planning Way to link Ikorodu road.

He said that rehabilitation works were going on at the remaining routes highlighted for traffic diversions to enhance free traffic flow along the corridor during the rehabilitation.

According to him, motorists who do not have urgent assignments on the island during the rehabilitation should avoid the area to discourage influx of vehicular movements.

Oladeinde noted that people who must visit the area should consider the use of the dedicated BRT/LBSL buses to reduce traffic congestion on the repair corridor.

He urged road users to comply with Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Federal Road Safety Corps directives to minimise inconveniences on the roads.

Oladeinde also advised commuters to make use of water transportation by linking up with the various jetties in the metropolis for their trips.

Lagos State Government is hereby appealing to residents of the state, especially motorists that ply these corridors to bear the pains as the project is aimed at ensuring safety of the people in an emerging smart city. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Pemex oil resumes crude shipments

An oil production and storage vessel, operated by Mexican state oil firm Pemex in the Gulf of Mexico, has resumed crude shipments.

This is after a tanker collision halted exports earlier this month, according to a person with knowledge of the matter and data from Refinitiv Eikon.

The FPSO facility (floating production, storage and offloading), which has the capacity to store up to 2.2 million barrels of crude, halted loading of vessels for exports after making contact with the Olympic Future tanker on July 1.

The collision was due to bad weather conditions, according to Pemex, formally known as Petroleos Mexicanos, in a statement hours after the event.

A source familiar with the units operation told Reuters on Friday that repairs had been made, allowing exports to resume, but did not specify the date that happened.

According to Refinitiv Eikon vessel tracking data, the most recent tanker to load crude oil from El Seor del Mar was the Trysil Spirit, which set sail from Mexican waters bound for the United States on July 13.

Pemex said it did not have information to confirm whether the FSPO had resumed activities.

The company currently produces an average of 1.6 million barrels per day of crude oil, of which it exports around one million barrels per day. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

AGF Abubakar Malami

By Ebere Agozie

The Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over the malicious publications against him by SaharaReporters through its online medium.

Malami disclosed this in a statement issued by Dr Umar Gwandu, his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations in Abuja.

He said his

The petition reads in part: For the records Sir, Malami is a second term Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice who has been returned due to his exemplary leadership of the anti-corruption program of the a

Under the supervision of Malami as Attorney General, the extant National Anti Corruption Strategy was conceived, designed, approved by the Federal Executive Council and is currently being implemented.

Malamis re-appointment as Attorney General is first of its kind and to our mind, a testimony of his unparalleled performance in Office,especially in driving the Anti-Corruption agenda of the Government a

In sum, the libelous publications contained direct allegations and inuendos Notwithstanding that the stories untrue and false;

Our client has since July 10, when the malicious criminal libel were first published, received and still receives several telephone calls and visits from well meaning Nigerians, his friends, well-wishers and associates from all over the world including

Our client deserves justice.

Similarly, the Attorney-General has written the publishers of Sahara Reporters complaining on the same alleged libelous and criminally defamatory publications.

Take notice that you are hereby issued a seven-day ultimatum to retract all the libelous and criminally defamatory p

Source: NAN News