COVID-19

By Victor Adeoti

Osun has recorded 18 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of the infections in the state to 281.

Dr Rafiu Isamotu, the States Commissioner For Health, in a statement on Wednesday in Osogbo said 13 patients were also discharged from the states isolation centre.

Isamotu said the new cases were contacts of previous confirmed cases in the state.

The Commissioner said with the fresh cases, the number of confirmed cases in the state was 281 with 140 active cases.

He said the state had successfully treated and discharged 134 patients, while seven deaths were recorded.

Isamotu appealed to residents of the state to always observe all the precautionary measures laid down by the state against the spread of the virus. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile,

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced the death of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who died on July 14, as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna.

Late Arotile was the first female combat helicopter pilot in the NAF.

Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAFs Director of Public Relations and Information, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

It is with great sorrow that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) regretfully announces the unfortunate demise of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who died on July 14, as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna.

Until her death, Flying Officer Arotile, who was commissioned into the NAF in September 2017 as a member of Nigerian Defence Academy Regular Course 64, was the first ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Service.

During her short but impactful stay in the Service, late Arotile, who hails from Iffe in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, contributed significantly to the efforts to rid the North Central States of bandits and other criminal elements by flying several combat missions under Operation GAMA AIKI in Minna, Niger State.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, on behalf of officers, airmen, airwomen and civilian staff of the NAF, commiserates with the family of late Flying Officer Arotile over this irreparable loss.

We pray that the Almighty God grants her soul eternal rest, he said.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra

By Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu

The Anambra State Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC) generated N507 million in 2019 through tuition fee and sports levy.

The Chairperson of the PPSSC, Mrs Ifeoma Okaro, made the disclosure while defending the commissions financial transactions in 2019, before the state House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts.

Okaro said: Education from Primary I to Junior Secondary III is free in Anambra State, but Senior secondary students pay N3,000 for both tuition fee (N2,970) and Sports levy (N30).

According to our records, we have about 261 secondary schools and a total of 70,991 senior students in the state.

The students pay directly into the governments account.

Okaro advised students to keep safe during the COVID-19 pandemic by observing the safety precautions.

She also urged them to continue reading their books and listening to radio and online teachings to keep up with their academic syllabus.

According to her, examinations can be scheduled at anytime and students should not be found wanting, but prepared to excel.

Also speaking, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze (Ogbaru Il), Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, commended the commission for accurate records of financial transactions.

Udeze urged the commission to organise more extra curricular activities for students to nurture their talents in sports, crafts and arts.

Source: NAN News

Europes second-highest court on Wednesday rejected an EU order for Apple (AAPL.O) to pay 13 billion Euros (15 billion dollars) in Irish back taxes, dealing a blow to the blocs attempts to crack down on sweetheart tax deals.

In its order four years ago, the European Commission said Apple benefited from illegal state aid via two Irish tax rulings that artificially reduced its tax burden for over two decades, to as low as 0.005 per cent in 2014.

The General Court annuls the contested decision because the Commission did not succeed in showing to the requisite legal standard that there was an advantage for the purposes of Article 107(1) TFEU1, judges said, referring to EU competition rules.

The defeat for European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager could weaken or delay pending cases against Ikeas and Nikes (NKE.N) deals with the Netherlands, as well as Huhtamakis (HUH1V.HE) agreement with Luxembourg.

Vestager, who has made the tax crackdown a centerpiece of her time in office, saw the same court in 2019 overturn her demand for Starbucks (SBUX.O) to pay up to 30 million Euros in Dutch back taxes.

In another case, the court also threw out her ruling against a Belgian tax scheme for 39 multinationals.

While 14 billion Euros, including interest, would have gone a long way to plugging the coronavirus-shaped hole in Irelands finances, Dublin appealed against the Commissions order alongside Apple because it wanted to protect a low tax regime that has attracted 250,000 multinational employees.

However, the government is likely to face strong criticism from opposition parties for not taking the cash, which could cover no less than half of a budget deficit forecast to balloon to as much as 10 per cent of GDP this year.

The defeated side can appeal on points of law to the EU Court of Justice, Europes highest court. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Nasir El-Rufai

The Kaduna State Government has reiterated its commitment to improve Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in its tertiary institutions to boost education.

The Commissioner of Education, Dr Shehu Makarfi, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Wednesday.

Makarfi explained that the ICT upgrade will be met through the development and deployment of Enhanced State Education Management Information System (eSEMIS).

He said that the move was to leverage on ICT, to improve the education delivery system, with a view to provide quality education in line with global best practices.

Makarfi said that the eSEMIS, comprised of e-learning system, Student Information System (SIS), Human Resources Management System (HRMS), Digital Archival System (DAS), Integrated Library Management System (ILMS) and Clinic Management System (CMS).

He added that the eSEMIS and the ICT upgrade, which has been developed in partnership with Staunton and Lycett Nigeria Ltd. were at various completion stage in all the state-owned tertiary institutions.

Makarfi identified the institution as Kaduna State University; Kaduna State College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kaduna State College of Education, Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, and Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences and Technology.

The commissioner said that the project would leverage on online platforms to ensure that students were provided with qualitative education in the state-owned tertiary institutions.

It will also provide a mechanism for end-to-end running of all educational activities within the tertiary institutions.

It also aims to assist education managers and administrators both at the institutions and ministries, departments and agencies, to work optimally with a clear view of the institution operations within their domain, he said.

According to him, the e-learning system had been fully developed in all the tertiary institutions, adding that most of the lecture notes have been converted into e-courseware format.

Several digital contents have been included in the new courseware, including multimedia content and so far, the development of SIS, HRMS, ILMS, CMS and DAS in all the institutions have been completed.

The development of the e-learning systems in all the tertiary institutions are at the completion stage, while internet service in the institutions will be provided by Airtel Nigeria.

All students have been registered on the e-learning platform and the institutions will soon join Kaduna State University in delivering quality e-learning, he said.

Makarfi pointed out that when the eSEMIS was fully deployed, students would be able to log in to the system, read content, watch videos, complete short quizzes, and submit assignments.

He explained that the system was configured to automatically grade assignments, while plagiarism tools to ensure academic integrity would be installed in the coming weeks.

Mr Ola Ojajuni, Chief Executive Officer, Staunton, and Lycett Nigeria Ltd. told NAN that the project, which began in 2018, was designed to reposition the states tertiary institution to world class standard.

Ojajuni said that when completed, the project would not only change how students and lecturers interact, but also how education was being delivered.

According to him, all education institutions need critical infrastructure, both hardware and software to be able to develop its ICT to optimal level.

Therefore, under the partnership, every building and department in the states tertiary institutions will be inter-connected by fibre, including a total WiFi coverage as backup.

This will provide lecturers and students 24 hours access to fast internet connectivity at 155 megabyte per second, thereby, providing students time to research and study.

Also, every document in all the institutions would be converted into an electronic format, while a data centre will be developed for every institution with each of them serving as a backup to another.

He said that when all the ICT infrastructure were put in place, officials and relevant stakeholders would be able to access performance of each institution.

The stakeholders will be able to do this using various visualisation tools from the comfort of their offices, he added.

Ojajuni said that all the lecturers of the tertiary institutions were currently undergoing training on how to use the e-learning system.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

The centre in its latest situation update issued on Wednesday said that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the continent rose from 594,841 on Tuesday morning to 612,586 as of Wednesday morning.

The Africa CDC also disclosed that the death toll from the pandemic surged to 13,519 as of the stated period.

The Africa CDC further said that 307,069 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have so far recovered from the infectious virus.

Amid the rapid spread of the virus across the continent, the highly affected African countries in terms of positive cases included South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria, Morocco, and Cameroon.

The Africa CDC also said that the Southern Africa region is now the most affected area across the continent in terms of positive COVID-19 cases, followed by the North Africa region.

The West Africa region is the third most affected area in terms of positive cases, followed by the Eastern and Central Africa regions, respectively. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Clean-up: FG opens fresh contract bid for water projects in Ogoniland

By Desmond Ejibas

The Federal Government on Wednesday opened a fresh bid to select contractors to provide portable water in oil spill impacted Ogoni communities in Rivers.

Dr Marvin Dekil, the Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) said at the opening of the bid in Port Harcourt that the Project was initiative of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on Ogoniland.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that UNEP in 2011 recommended the provision of running water for Ogoni communities whose underground water got polluted by decades-long oil spills.

Dekil said that HYPREP, under the Federal Ministry of Environment would coordinate the water projects in Eleme, Gokana, Khana and Tai areas covering Ogoniland to ensure early completion.

So, today we are opening bids for six lots to six competent companies to provide portable water to various locations in the four local government areas of Ogoniland.

We are optimistic that we will secure contractors that will immediately be mobilised to sites within the next three to five weeks.

The water project will be done simultaneously with remediation works currently ongoing in 57 sites spread across the areas, he said.

Dekil said that no fewer than 40 companies had submitted their expression of interest to participate in the bidding for the project.

He said that the Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammed Abubakar and HYPREP had agreed to spread the project to communities not directly impacted by oil spillage.

In addition, the water that we are going to provide in Ogoni communities will meet the United Nations and World Health Organisation standards.

Ogali, Kpean, Nsisioken, Korokoro, K-Dere and B-Dere communities in Ogoni are the communities that UNEP identified for the water projects.

So, these communities will get the six lots in the first phase of the water project, while others will benefit from subsequent phases as we progress.

At the end, we will have a central borehole from which water will be reticulated to the impacted communities and many others our budget can carry, he added.

The project coordinator assured that the bidding process would be done in line with guidelines of the procurement act with collaboration from Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources.

According to him, the exercise will adhere strictly to protocols on COVID-19 to safeguard participants. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gunmen

By Sunday John

Unknown gunmen on Tuesday killed one and abducted two family members of Salisu Usman-Maku, elder brother to Labaran Maku, a former Minister of Information.

A family member, who preferred anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia that the gunmen stormed their house at Gudi village of Akwanga Local Government Area in the early hours of Tuesday.

The source said the gunmen killed their sister and kidnapped their brother and his wife.

It said the gunmen shot sporadically which led to the death of their sister and kidnap of their brother, who is an officer with the Nigeria Immigration Service and his wife.

When contacted, Comptroller of Immigration in the state, Zainab Lawal, confirmed the incidence of the kidnap of their staff, Salihu Usman-Maku and his wife.

She said: Nigeria Immigration Officer (NIS) Supt. Salisu Usman and his wife have been abducted at gun point.

All efforts to get confirmation from the Police spokesperson in the state, ASP Ramhan Nansel, proved abortive as he did not respond to calls and text message. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State

By Isaiah Eka

The Akwa Ibom Government has ordered striking health professionals in the state under the umbrella of Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU),to resume work immediately or risk being relieved of their jobs.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Udoh on Wednesday.

Udoh said the strike embarked upon by JOHESU was ill-conceived and politically motivated.

He said that the demand for payment of 50 per cent of basic salaries as hazard allowance in the prevailing harsh economic climate byJOHESU was unreasonable.

The commissioner for information said that the action of the striking health workers in spite of concerted efforts by government to provide the best of working conditions was unnecessary.

He said that government had made payment of all due salaries and allowances, adding that the state was one of the best paying states in the health sector.

The efforts of the state government in this regard have continued to receive widespread commendations from various healthcare stakeholders in the country.

Against this backdrop, government is constrained to state that it is unreasonable and also unlawful for healthcare professionals to embark on any form of strike action during period of Coronavirus pandemic.

Therefore, full compliments of related healthcare professionals are expected at their duty posts unfailingly, as required by the terms and conditions of their employment.

Any staff member not found on duty will be considered to be no longer interested in the job and will be relieved of such duty with immediate effect.

The relevant health authorities have been mandated to conduct head count, Udoh said.

Udoh said government had made adequate arrangements to ensure that thoseinterested in performing their lawful duties were allowed to do so without disruption or molestation of any sort.

Anyone found obstructing or disrupting healthcare operations anywhere in the state, under the pretext of an industrial action, will be apprehended and prosecuted.

It is criminal for anyone to obstruct health care workers from performing their legitimate duties in this period of emergency

Government is aware that the ill conceived industrial action and blatant act of sabotage by JOHESU is sponsored by political detractors with an underlying intent to vandalise healthcare facilities in the state, he said.

He added that security agencies in the state had been fully briefed to ensure the continued protection of lives and property, using all legal means.

The commissioner for information enjoined Akwa Ibom residents to continue to cooperate with government in the fight to curtail the surge of Coronavirus pandemic in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the JOHESU on July 14, embarked on indefinite strike to press for higher wages.

The unions demands include the implementation of 80 per cent of the National Consolidated Health Salary Structure as paid by the federal government and 50 per cent basic salary as hazard allowance. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By Ikenna Osuoha

Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) on Wednesday called
for more test kits to prevent deaths of pregnant women and babies as a result of mother-to-child transmission of HIV
in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Coordinator of the network, Mr Abdulkadir Ibrahim, made the call in an interview with the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.

Ibrahim said only 44 per cent of pregnant women had access to Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) in 2019, describing
the percentage as poor.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UN 90-90-90 Vision for 2030 entails 90 per cent test, 90 per cent
awareness of status, and 90 per cent treatment.

The national coordinator said mother-to-child transmission of HIV accounted for 90 per cent of new infections in children,
and reiterated the call for government to buy more test kits so that more pregnant women will be tested and adequate
measures taken to protect the unborn child.

Prevention of Mother to Child programmes in Nigeria are characterised with poor ownership and funding.

For elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, especially within COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to achieve
high Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) coverage for positive mothers.

In 2019, it is only 44 per cent of positive pregnant women that started ART.

Ibrahim emphasised the need to procure test kits at this time of global health emergency, in accordance with the Saving One Million
Lives (SOML) initiative, supported by World Bank.

He tasked the Ministry of Health to rise up to the challenge by ensuring total prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, with the provision of test kits to
the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS, and called for rapid preventive response to HIV through provision of access to quality healthcare for pregnant women.

According to him, it is very important now in the era of COVID-19 pandemic for the Ministry of Health to provide test kits to prevent infection and death of mothers and babies. (NAN)

Source: NAN News