Google cloud

By Stellamaris Ashinze
Google on Friday, highlighted five YouTube channels for e-learning with schools in Nigeria closed, due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communication Officer Google, West Africa, said in a statement that e-learning had become the new normal.

Kola-Ogunlade said that this had left many parents stressed as they had to juggle their own work and activities while serving as home teachers for their children.

He said to help parents out and give them the much-needed break, Google had compiled a list of five YouTube channels to help parents teach their children and keep them occupied.

BinoandFino is a cartoon series about a brother and sister, duo named Bino and Fino who live with their family in Nigeria.

The channel reveals exciting adventures that help children discover and learn about Africa and the rest of the world.

The content is wide-ranging; so viewers can learn about things such as water creating electricity, the flags of some African countries or even how important it is to eat healthy fruit, he said.

Acording to him, Ogun Digi Class Channel is an Ogun State Government initiative with contents appealing to both primary and secondary school students.

He said that children could learn English, Mathematics, Basic Science, Computer Science, Arts and Commercial subjects.

Kola-Ogunlade said it was the first of its kind in Nigeria to feature experienced educators from Ogun State sharing their knowledge on different subjects.

He said that another was Akili and Me, an edutainment channel on fun educational preschool learning videos from across the African continent.

Kola-Ogunlade said that students joined Akili, Happy Hippo, Little Lion and Bush Baby to learn letters, numbers, art, reading, vocabulary skills and more.

According to him, the channel, which is dedicated to toddlers during the COVID-19 pandemic, has over 260, 000 subscribers and also features videos geared toward helping toddlers get a grip on their emotions.

He said that Simones Oasis channel is owned by Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie and it was created out of her experience, entertaining her own children Ugo, a boy and Sim Sim, a girl.

Kola-Ogunlade said drawing on what she learned from raising a special-needs child living with Down syndrome, she shared content to help others on their journey.

Acording to him, some of the entertaining sing-along-videos on the channel include, nursery rhyme mashups, Incy Wincy Spider, Nigeria 36 states, and Eko Bridge.

The communication officer said the fifth channel SokidzTV is owned by Sceneonetv and it offered a variety of songs and nursery rhymes in English and Yoruba.

He said children could also learn about numbers, the alphabet, colours and other topics that helped with mental development.

As parents adapt and become teachers to children at home, these YouTube channels help by relieving some of the stresses associated with home learning, Kola-Ogunlade said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that YouTube is Googles company and had become the worlds popular online video community.

Source: NAN News

Stress

By Lilian Okoro

The Dora-Care Behavioural Foundation, an NGO, has urged Nigerians to try as much as possible to eliminate stressors and depression in order to live a normal healthy life.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Mrs Kemi Akinyelure, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday.

According to her, stressors can be seen everywhere, as everyone is vulnerable to stress as it affects people of all ages, from all works of life and in all countries.

Akinyelure, also a Psychiatric Nurse at the Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, said that stress was a major cause of diseases in Nigeria.

According to her, it is important for Nigerians to know how to prevent and manage stress in order to ensure their well-being.

People should eliminate unnecessary stressors such as toxic relationships, clutter in ones environment and lifestyle.

But before you can eliminate stressors, you need to first of all recognise what makes you stressed.

To manage stress you can develop and use stress-relieving habits such as healthy eating, quality sleep, regular exercise among others, she said.

The psychiatric nurse said that stress was a risk factor for depression and mental health problems which could lead to suicide.

She advised the public to support persons showing signs of depression by encouraging and talking to them to seek help to prevent them from attempting suicide.

According to her, for individuals with severe depression, it is common to think about suicide and they need support and encouragement from people around them to enable them heal at that moment.

She, therefore, urged the public to offer immediate support to persons around them who had previously tried to take their own lives, persons with depression, an alcohol or drug addict.

According to her, hard drugs are one major cause of mental illness and young people should steer clear from hard drugs.

Youths involvement in the use of hard substance like marijuana causes mental illness as well as undue stress.

Youthful brain is a time when the brain is very sensitive and in the process of forming, it is wiring network.

Youthful brains are more sensitive to the stress hormone cortisol and may feel its effects more quickly, Akinyelure said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu

By Joan Odafe

Some Lagos residents on Friday expressed mixed reactions over the suspension of the opening of churches, mosques and events places by the Lagos State Government to curb the rising number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Some residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Lagos on Friday that the suspension of the opening of religious places of worship was just a temporary solution.

They urged the state government to come up with lasting solutions by looking at other areas where the virus could easily be spread and ensure they curb it.

Others said the pandemic could only go away when people are allowed to gather in unity to beseech His mercies.

Mr Uche Agwu, who commended the state government said it was a good decision, for now, considering the number of new cases being recorded.

He added that it was not necessary that people worship from the building of religious institutions, saying that churches and mosques could continue to operate virtually.

Agwu, however, expressed his displeasure on how the markets, which were opened for business operated.

I see it as an avenue for the spread of the virus because no form of social distancing is observed, he said.

He noted that offices had been compliant in observing the guidelines on social distancing, use of face masks and hand washing.

Agwu urged the state government to ensure that the law enforcement agencies check the spread of the virus, which he said came from unmanned areas such as markets.

Mr John Timothy empathised with the state government for the burden of COVID-19 and it having to take the decision to suspend the resumption of religious places of worship due to the rising number of the pandemic in the state.

He, however, said the government could also have used the religious institutions as a campaign strategy to ensure that people followed the guidelines.

According to him, most people respect their religious leaders and obey their instructions; if they tell the worshippers to do something, they will.

Timothy further said that opening the religious institutions was a way of providing succour to those experiencing one form of trauma or the other as a result of the effects of the pandemic.

Hudu Katsina said: Government should allow mosques and churches to open so we can unite and pray; if we dont pray well, the coronavirus will not go away.

Adamu Yusuf said opening of religious places of worship will give room for people to pray in unity and reduce discrimination in the society.

I was not happy when I heard the news. When we come together to pray, there is oneness.

Theres no discrimination between the rich and the common man.

When we pray separately, theyre far from us and dont know our challenges and how to help us, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

Chief medical officers in the UK have agreed that the COVID-19 threat level should be lowered one notch to epidemic is in general circulation from transmission is high or rising exponentially.

The Joint Biosecurity Centre recommended the COVID-19 alert level should move from Level 4 (A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high or rising exponentially) to Level 3 (A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation).

There has been a steady decrease in cases we have seen in all four nations, and this continues, the chief medical officers of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland said.

It does not mean that the pandemic is over.

The virus is still in general circulation, and localised outbreaks are likely to occur, they said.

Recently, Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, told the press that it looks as though were now approaching the fast growth part of the upward curve.

And without drastic action, cases could double every five or six days.

The consistent doubling of cases in a fixed period is the hallmark of exponential growth. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

ECOWAS

By Lizzy Okoji

The ECOWAS Ministerial Coordination Committee on Transport, Logistics and Trade has recommended a harmonised and gradual reopening of land, air and sea borders for restoring cross border economic activities.

This recommendation was made known in a joint communiqu following a ministerial coordination meeting, on Thursday in Abuja, by the Directorate of communications, ECOWAS Commission.

The Committee recommended gradual reopening of the borders especially for movement of humanitarian personnel, medical supplies and equipment and essential goods in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

They also held that the reopening had become imperative in view of the need to revive the economies of ECOWAS member countries.

It said recommendations were adopted for submission to the Co-Chairpersons of the ad-hoc Ministerial Committee, and Nigerias Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika and President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Brou.

The Aviation Minister and ECOWAS Commissions President were expected to submit the recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari who is champion of the regional COVID-19 response.

President Buhari would present the documents to the Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

The ministers discussed and agreed on practical modalities based on the report of the regional experts meeting held virtually on June 8 and 10 , 2020.

As well as the draft Guidelines for the Harmonisation and Facilitation of Cross Border Trade and Transport in the ECOWAS Region on The COVID-19 Pandemic and Related Post-Recovery Actions.

The opening of the borders is to be hinged on the proposed guidelines for the mitigation of health risks and the harmonisation and facilitation of cross-border trade.

And transport in the ECOWAS region in the context of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, amounting to a coordinated and progressive opening of air, land and maritime borders.

The ministers recommended a three-phased approach to the opening of land and air borders, beginning with local internal domestic air and land transport within ECOWAS member states.

Then a second phase which involves the opening of land and air borders between ECOWAS member states, to allow the free movement of goods and persons.

On the basis of strict application of the proposed guidelines for the harmonisation and facilitation of cross-border trade and transport in the ECOWAS region.

Following a review of the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in respective member states, a third phase of opening air and land borders to other countries with controlled levels (according to WHO classifications) will be pursued, the committee said.

The ministers further called for accurate information sharing on opening-up measures among member states in the spirit of solidarity, collective self-reliance and inter-State co-operation through bilateral and multilateral consultations.

They also called for the need to ensure speedy and safer clearance of transit goods at the borders and minimise physical contact in customs, cross-border trade transactions.

They said that this would be achieved through the rapid deployment of the new ECOWAS Interconnected Goods and Transit Management System popularly termed SIGMAT.

They also urged the provision of such information to private sector actors namely, shipping lines, Airlines, cross-border transporters and traders, media and civil society while ensuring strong collaboration at borders.

The ministerial coordinating committee, pleaded for strong and determined support for the ownership and implementation of the guidelines once adopted by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

It stated that apart from ministers from member states, the meeting was also attended by ECOWAS Commissions Commissioner for Infrastructure, Mr Path Gueye and his counterpart for Trade, Customs and Free Movement, Mr Konzi Tei.

Other are Prof. Stanley Okolo, Director-General,West African Health Organization (WAHO), and Mr Paul Koffi, Commissioner, Community Spatial Planning and Transport at the Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) says Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, never demanded 20 million dollars from its Executive Secretary, Mr Simbi Wabote, to fund Bayelsa re-run elections.

The NCDMB disclosed this in a statement by its Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr Naboth Onyesoh, in Abuja, on Thursday.

He described the allegation as spurious and malicious, adding that it was completely misleading and a figment of the imagination of those behind it.

Ordinarily, the board would have ignored this fake news, especially one planted in a notorious publication.

However, we are constrained to react because sponsors of the wicked tissues of lies are intent on destroying the good image of the board and strong reputation of the executive secretary and that of the minister of state for petroleum resources and portray the board as partisan.

We verily believe that this outright fabrication was sponsored by those angling to contest for the senatorial elections in Bayelsa West Senatorial District, who are in the habit of concocting wild allegations to distract the NCDMB and lure us into local politics.

For the avoidance of doubt and to set the records straight, NCDMB wishes to state categorically as follows: There is no iota of truth in that story.

It is completely mendacious and a figment of the imagination of those behind it; From inception in 2010 till date, NCDMB has never been pressurised or required to sponsor anything that has partisan colouration;

The current Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has never demanded nor suggested to the board and its leadership to fund any political activity in Bayelsa or any part of the country, however described.

As a federal agency, NCDMB is focussed on its statutory mandate as enshrined in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, he said.

Onyesoh noted that The Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF) was instituted for funding capacity development in oil and gas activities and could not be applied for any other purpose except that expressly stated in the NOGICD Act.

He said that it was preposterous to allege that the minister was demanding 20 million dollars from NCDMB to fund elections, whereas all funds belonging to the Federal Government are in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

According to him, NCDMBs funds cannot be withdrawn except for legitimate purposes consistent with its mandate.

Thus, it is absurd and unreasonable to contemplate or imagine that the board can withdraw any money from the NCDF except for any of the purposes it was instituted under the Act. he added

Onyesoh said that the status of NCDMB finances were in the public domain and could be verified by anyone or group that was interested.

The official said that was the reason why the executive secretary had consistently announced the balance sheet and utilisation of NCDF at every oil and gas fora.

He insisted that the NCDMBs financial processes and operations were always open and transparent, noting that the board and its leadership had never been manipulated.

Onyesoh said they would not be influenced to favour individuals or political parties, no matter how highly placed, especially as everything the board does must be in line with its mandate in the NOGICD Act.

Contrary to the wicked suggestion in the story, NCDMB has never awarded any contract to the minister or any company connected to him and neither has the board awarded contracts for shore protection in Brass LGA of Bayelsa, because it is clearly outside our statutory mandate.

It is pertinent to state that NEITI declared NCDMB as the most transparent federal oil and gas agency and the board achieved this lofty feat because our operations are always compliant with governments financial regulations.

NCDMB has initiated several oil and gas projects in Bayelsa and engendered multiple investments that are geared to uplift the people and the economy.

Therefore, we demand that political gladiators in the state should spare us distractions and negative reportage that are capable of creating disincentive for investments, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

ECOWAS

By Lizzy Okoji

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will on Monday, hold a virtual global event, discussing challenges and response of governments across the world to the coronavirus pandemic.

The communications unit of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice (CCJ) announced this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Justice Edward Asante, President, ECOWAS-CCJ is billed to participate in the discussion.

Asante will join other high-profile speakers in discussing the freedom of expression, privacy and related rights posed by measures adopted by various governments around the world in response to COVID-19.

The discussion would also focus on judicial response and judgment of cases in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It stated that the webinar wouldbe organised with support of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, the ECOWAS Court of Justice and Open Society Foundations.

Other speakers expected at the webinar include judges of other human rights courts, UN experts, academics, practitioners and representatives of civil societies.

Organisers ofthe webinar, Bonavero Institute of Human Rights at the Oxford University, UNESCO and the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, saidthe COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken worldwide in response to it have had significant implications for human rights.

They said that over the last months,several national authorities have declared states of emergency, restricting many fundamental rights including freedom of expression, access to information and privacy.

In addition,some governments have adopted laws to fight disinformation and it is unlikely to be long before judicial authorities will have to rule on cases related to freedom of the press and freedom of expression in relation to these measures.

The organisers said related topics for discussion may includecriminal justice, privacy and the proportionality of the measures taken during the pandemic in relation to freedom of expression, it stated.

The discussion will also extend to the role and function of domestic and international accountability mechanisms, including the judiciary, human rights commissions, ombudspersons, special rapporteurs and treaty bodies.

The statement added that the webinar, which would be held in English would be followed by a similar one in French on June 29.

The webinars are part of a series of webinars for judicial operators on legal challenges related to freedom of expression during to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other panellists included Judge Darian Pavli of the European Court of Human Rights, Joan Barata of the Centre for Internet and Society and Cyber Policy Centre, Stanford University Law School.

The last panellist is Jennifer Robinson, an Australian Human Rights Lawyer with Doughty Street Chambers in London. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NYSC

Olukayode Babalola

Nasarawa Government says it is converting the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Magaji Dan Yamusa Orientation Camp in Keffi Local Government Area of the state to an isolation centre.

The states Commissioner for Health, Mr Yahaya Ahmed, announced this at a news conference shortly after an expanded review meeting on Coronavirus (COVID-19) held in Lafia on Thursday.

He said that the centre would cater for the high increase of positive cases in the state, especially from Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state recorded 177 confirmed COVID-19 cases, out of which, 87 have been treated and discharged, while 53 persons are receiving treatment.

A total of 30 others are in self-isolation, awaiting transfer to treatment centres, with seven deaths from the virus.

Ahmed said the state government was worried that the number of cases in the state was increasing, with most of them from Nasarawa West Senatorial zone.

He added that isolation centres for treatment of the virus in the zone had been overstretched, given the number of cases.

The commissioner said from Nasarawa Senatorial zone alone, Karu Local Government has 76 cases, Keffi 30, Kokona three, while Nasarawa has five, with none yet in Toto Local Government Area.

He explained that the high rate of COVID-19 cases from the zone prompted the state government to convert the NYSC camp to an isolation centre to meet the increasing number of positive cases in the zone instead of transferring them to the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) in Lafia.

There are 177 positive cases across 10 local government areas, out of the 13 in the state.

Keana, Wamba and Toto still have zero status of COVID-19, but out of this 177 cases, Akwanga has 15; Awe 1; Doma 3; Karu 76; Keffi 30; Kokona 3; Lafia 24; Nasarawa 5; Nasarawa-Eggon 12 and Obi 8.

It is clear that Karu Local Government is the epicentre of the state with 76, which is over 40 per cent of the cases we have, followed by Keffi, Lafia, Akwanga and Nasarawa-Eggon, he said.

He said the conversion of the NYSC orientation camp to an isolation centre would afford the state more space in handling additional cases in the senatorial zone with no need to panic or transfer patients to other places.

Ahmed added that out of the 177 that tested positive in the state, 27 of them are health workers and are currently receiving treatment in isolation centres across the state.

We do have 27 out of them who are health workers who tested positive. Six from Federal Medical Centre, Keffi; four in DASH, Lafia, two in Nasarawa-Eggon General Hospital, seven in Medical Centre, Mararaba in Karu, five in private health care hospitals in Keffi and three in private health facility in Lafia, he said.

He also said that the state government had given directive for the immediate closure of some private schools that illegally reopened in some parts of the state without due authorisation to do so.

Mr Abdulkareem Kana, the Commissioner for Justice, explained that the state government had resolved to maintain the current measures put in place to guide against further spread of the virus.

He said the state government at the end of the meeting resolved that the current measures issued by the governor in proclamation number 99 last two weeks, will remain. In other words, decision taken based on worship and restrictions placed will stand.

The directive that commercial motorcycle operators should not carry more than one passenger at a time and tricycles cannot carry more than two passengers still remains, while all are advised to wear face masks.

Also, the curfew in urban areas from 10 p.m., to 4 a.m. will continue, he said.

Kana then revealed that the state government had resolved to intensify enlightenment campaign on safety steps to avoid spread of the virus. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19: NLNG donates medical equipment to Lagos Govt

The Nigeria LNG Ltd. (NLNG) has donated medical equipment to the Lagos State Government as part of its contributions to the 30 million dollars Oil and Gas Industry Collaborative Initiative to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eyono Fatayi-Williams, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, NLNG, said in a statement that the donation was received by Prof. Akin Abayomi, the State Commissioner for Health.

Fatayi-Williams, who represented the NLNGs Managing Director, Mr Tony Attah, said the initiative by the oil sector was being spearheaded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to combat the virus.

The donation, worth 300,000 dollars is part of the companys 1.25 million dollars worth of donations to six states of the federation in its contribution toward the NNPC-led Oil Industry COVID-19 intervention fund.

The donation to Lagos State will go to supporting the COVID-19 response at the Lagos Mainland Hospital.

Equipment donated include: Mindray SV300 ventilators, infusion pumps, Surgicare patient monitor, hospital cart, Mindray haematology analyser, stat analyser, stat reagent, cartridge and automated chemistry analyser.

Other items are medical infusion pump, blood warmers, arterior blood gas analyser, perfusor compact, automated haematology analyser, AED/Defibrillators ICU patient beds with remote controls and PVC mattress covers, Attah said.

According to him, it also includes, Visco elastic mattresses, Desco hospital pillows, overbed tables and bedside cabinet combination units.

Attah said the donations were part of the industrys ongoing contribution to the states to help push back the pandemic.

He noted that the virus still remained a huge threat to the countrys socioeconomic wellbeing, which would require concerted efforts and sacrifices from everyone in the country to fight.

Attah said the interventions signified NLNGs resolve to stand with both the Federal and State Governments during these trying times and to reciprocate the goodwill and support to the company over the years.

He commended the state government for its determination and resilience in fighting the pandemic and effectively managing the impact on businesses and residents. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Court Symbol

By Imelda Osayande

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin, has set aside the June 8 judgment of the Federal High Court, Benin, restraining the All Progressives Congress (APC) from conducting the June 22 governorship primaries in Edo.

The Appeal Court, sitting in Benin, also ordered the continuation of the trial at FHC, which will hold on Friday.

The presiding judge, Justice Morenike Ogunwomiju was accompanied by Justices Sam Oseji and Moore Adumein, in Thursday evenings judgments.

Ogunwomiju, in the appeals by APC and its suspended National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, described as problematic, the order by Justice Mohammed Umar of FHC, Benin.

In the lead judgment in the suit by APC, Ogunwomiju said the trial judge (Justice Umar) gave a problematic order that was not sought by the parties to the suit.

She said that as at June 8 when the order was given, the APC in Edo had 14 days to organise governorship primaries, noting that every judge must be a democrat.

The appellant (APC) is not given an opportunity to be heard by the trial court.

The injunctive order of the trial court of June 8 is hereby set aside.

The administrative orders subsist and the issue of jurisdiction should be determined by the trial court, she said.

In his dissenting judgment in the suit, Adumein declared that the injunctive order of FHC ought not to have been set aside, insisting that the appeal was interlocutory, incompetent and should be struck out.

He noted that the trial court did not make any mistake in the matter, in line with Section 285, Sub-section 8 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Adumein added that the court should not decide cases based on sentiments.

In the second suit filed by Oshiomhole, the only judgment was read by Justice Oseji, who declared that the appeal lacked merit and it was premature, thereby striking it out. (NAN)

Source: NAN News