Gov. Of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde

By Ibukun Emiola

Some experts on Wednesday warned the Oyo State Government to tread with caution on the reopening of schools for academic activities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had outlined plans for reopening of schools from June 29 inspite of rising cases of COVID-19.

But Prof. Clement Kolawole of the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, said there was need for caution in the face of the concerns over rising COVID-19 cases.

Kolawole, also the Chairman of the School Governing Board of Estate High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, said government with the information available to it might review its decision before the due date for reopening.

The governor has some information that we dont have and so decisions are made based on these.

And because the governor is directly involved in the management of COVID-19, so if he says in two weeks time, maybe he has been briefed that things will be better.

So going by the information that is available to him we cannot hold sway for him. But going by what we also see every day we are also worried, he said.

He, however, added that inspite of the concerns over rising COVID-19 cases, schools could not be shut indefinitely.

We must do something that will help us see to it that schools are not shut indefinitely.

I will say that lets wait and see what happens. Just like Lagos State did now and reversed its decision to open churches and mosques slated initially for Friday, but now with the available information to the government, it has been shelved.

So maybe if things did not change before the 29th and there is the need for a reversal of that decision, the government will do so, he said.

Prof. Adams Onuka, another educationist at the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, called for the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for teachers among other facilities.

He noted that reopening schools should imply that the necessary precautions had been taken.

These precautions include that decontamination of schools had been done, PPE are provided for teachers while provision for social and physical distancing is assured

Other necessary measures to ensure that spread is curtailed such as sanitisers and wash hand basins and soap are in place.

If these measures have not been taken, then it is premature to re-open schools in view of the fact that the spread curve has not been flattened, he said.

Onuka further said that those states that want to open schools could go ahead provided they had put all necessary measures in place.

Otherwise, it is ill advised. I think they should seek medical evaluation of the situation and act according to the medical evaluation outcome, he said

Dr Idowu Olanipekun, a development practitioner at the Centre for Development and Protection (CEDEP) Ibadan, on his part, also called for caution.

According to him, there must be reasonable consideration for pupils in pre primary and primary schools as they cannot take care of themselves.

Olanipekun said the arms of schools which would be the first to resume before others also needed to be adequately protected.

In case of the secondary and post secondary students, they might be put under check although observing physical and social distancing might be a source of concern.

Finally, the economic problem and timing will pose a problem to both private school owners and the government schools in providing safety kits and other facilities.

Will the school buses be fumigated? And even teachers, how do they protect themselves and also prevent the spread of COVID-19 with safety protocols facilities?

There may be more spread of the virus after resumption if care is not taken, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By Christian Ogbonna

The Bayelsa COVID-19 Task Force says it has recorded 54 new cases of the disease as announced by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Dr Inodu Apoku, Deputy Chairman of COVID-19 Task Force, said during a press briefing on Wednesday in Yucaipa that out of the 54 cases, eight were health professionals.

Apoku, also Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa Ministry of Health, said the 54 cases were from its over 300 pending samples of COVID -19 suspected cases in various COVID-19 laboratories across the South-South zone.

In the past two weeks, we have had over 300 pending samples of COVID -19 suspected cases in various COVID -19 laboratories across the South-South.

The laboratories were having issues with reagents and supplies and as such the delays in returning results.

Yesterday, being Tuesday, we received results of 76 samples and 54 of these returned positive for COVID -19. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 86 in the State.

We are expecting more test results from today as well. Eleven of these positive cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases, eight are health care professionals.

All the positive cases are being reached and counsel for evacuation to our Isolation Facilities. All their contacts are being line listed and adequately followed up including necessary environmental decontamination.

Samples have and are still being collected from their high -risk contacts while they have all been counselled on self-quarantine. Risk communication and community engagement are ongoing.

Yes, we send average of 40 samples on daily basis to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) Reference and other Laboratories across the South -South, he explained.

He noted that the core of our COVID -19 mitigation strategy was to test aggressively, isolate, treat and conduct robust contacts tracing.

It is also now apparent we are dealing with community transmission.

We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure we have our own Molecular laboratory in the State following the donation of a brand-new RT-PCR Machine by the SHELL Joint Partners to the State.

Permit me to seize this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to all the health care workers particularly the frontlines who have been tireless in their resolve and commitment to the COVID -19 response in the state.

Let me reiterate that we still believe in the opportunities and the gains of prevention and early detection while building our capacity to manage COVID-19 seamlessly, Apoku said.

The Deputy Chairman urged the general public to imbibe the regular and thorough hand washing with soap and water and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Always keep social distancing, at least two meters (6 feet) distance between you and anyone, avoid crowds and always wear a face mask in any public places.

Endeavour to practice good respiratory hygiene: when sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve at the flexed elbow or with a tissue. Then dispose-off the used tissue safely, immediately.

Exposed persons should stay home if you feel unwell with symptoms like fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing and notify relevant authorities immediately, he explained. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NSA, Babagana Monguno

By Zubairu Idris

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.- Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), has urged local communities in Northern Nigeria to intensify efforts toward providing intelligence information to security agencies on activities of criminals there.

He said that such information would enable the security agencies to address the insecurity bedeviling states in the North Western region of the country.

Monguno made the call in Katsina on Wednesday after meeting with Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State on security challenges bedeviling the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed me to lead the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Rufai Ahmad; the Director General (DG) of the Department of State Security (DSS) Yusuf Magaji Bichi;and the Chief of Defence Intelligence Agency, AVM MS Usman, to find solutions to the security challenges in the north western part of the country.

We had a frank discussion with the governor on the recent happenings in Katsina state and other states in the northwest region .

What I saw on ground is very disturbing; obviously, we need to have collective efforts from both local communities and security agencies in tackling the situation.

We need to build confidence to win the trust of the local communities, he said.

The NSA saidthat they started with Katsina state because it was the most affected by the problem.

He noted that they had discussions with the governor on the causes and possible solutions to the problem.

According to him, the President Buhari-led administration has been spending more on security than the previous administrations since the country returned to democracy.

He said that the security agencies would need more of intelligence information now the local communities to end security challenges in the region. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

D8 countries

By Fortune Abang
The Developing Organisation for Economic Cooperation (D-8) has stressed the need for African member countries Nigeria and Egypt to strengthen regional cooperation for faster economic growth.

Dr Ado Muhammad, Global Programme Director of D-8 Health and Social Protection Programme, stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

He spoke on the sidelines of the commemoration of the 23rd anniversary since the establishment of the D-8 on June 15, 1997.

D-8, also known as Developing-8, is an organisation for development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.

According to him, the organisation will increase its trade volume by 20 per cent among the member countries.

Muhammad said: The objective of the organisation is to uplift standard of living of human population in D-8 countries through trade, aviation, infrastructure, tourism, transportation, agriculture, education, ICT, health and social protection.

This is particularly relevant to members of the bloc from the African region Nigeria and Egypt because Africa has a huge population living below poverty lines.

The D-8 cooperation promotes faster economic growth, rapid urbanisation, and increasingly open, pluralistic political systems.

Clear efforts have been made to enhance the trade within the D-8, in order to develop member countries economy and empower them to participate actively in the globalisation process.

He revealed that the level of trade growth among D-8 member states had been enormous since the inception of the organisation in 1997.

He explained that, as of 2006, the trade between the D-8 member states stood at 35 billion dollarsand recorded 49 per cent growth to 68 billion dollars in 2010.

Following the success of multilateral investments in sectors, such as trade, agriculture, food security, energy, transportation and industrial cooperation trade has continued to grow steadily to 105 billion dollars in 2018.

He listed Egypt and Nigeria to have accounted for 12 per cent of total trade in D-8, saying the organisation seeks to increase trade volume by 20 per cent by 2025.

He added that the organisation recognised links between poverty, health, and economic development, therefore established health and social protection programme (D-8 HSP) office, to address poverty and vulnerability in member countries.

Furthermore, he said that the third strategic pillar of the D-8 HSP programme was designed to unlock the market potentials of health sector within member countries.

By creating an enabling environment for the private sector, addressing access to capital barriers and strengthening the regulatory role of government.

This will improve trade volume in health-related sectors by promoting and supporting local vaccine production, effective supply chain management and knowledge sharing initiative among member countries on health-systems development.

Both Egypt and Nigeria have a lot to gain from this initiative for different reasons; Egypt has a booming health sector that attracts a lot of medical tourism into the country.

This will provide Egypt with an opportunity to expand in this sector. Nigeria will gain access to more affordable drugs and transfer of technical knowledge, he added.

He noted that participation by African countries in the D-8 bloc would accelerate achievements of SDG 1, 2 and 3, and enable them adopt coherent national social-security strategies that include essential health care.

He said that it would help the member countries not only reduce poverty and inequality, but also gain access to diversified and new opportunities in trade relations for the region.

Source: NAN News

Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health

By Joan Nwagwu
The Health Sector Unions(JOHESU) has appealed to the Federal Government to implement the COVID-19 hazard allowance agreement to be paid to all medical workers.

This was contained in a letter to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige and signed by the Chairman and Acting Secretary of the union, Mr Biobelemoye Josiah and Mr Matthew Ajorutu on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the letter, JOHESU members can no longer wait until post-COVID-19 pandemic for their allowances to be paid as government have left out payments of medical workers.

He said that the unions decision to write to the minister was hinged on the recently released N4 billion for National Association of Residence Doctors (NARD).

The union said that the prompt payment to the NARD without JOHESU members has become a thing of worry.

The union however, said the plea for understanding due to paucity of funds can no longer be accepted by the members.

JOHESU also alleged that those not captured in the payment include the National Abovirus Vector and Research Centres (NACRC), Enugu and the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom, Plateau State.

Other are the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centres in Saye, Zaria, NOFIC, Katsina, and Health Clinics in universities.

The union called on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Minister of Health for the immediate implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered on April 21.

The elasticity of our members is at the breakpoint and we can no longer guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the Health Sector because our members are restive since the Federal Government approval to NARD, JOHESU said.

The MOU stated that the Federal Government agrees to shelve the payment of the existing Hazard Allowance of N5,000 being paid across board to health workers.

According to the MOU, in its place, a Special COVID-19 Hazard and Inducement Allowance of 50 per cent of the Consolidated Basic Salary is to be paid to all Health Workers in all Federal Government Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres and her designated COVID-19 Centres and Primary Healthcare Centres to last for the first three months in the first instance.

40 per cent of Consolidated Basic Salary would be paid as Special COVID-19 Hazard and Inducement Allowance to healthcare workers at Special non-Public Hospitals and Clinics in the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for same three months period.

20 per cent of the Consolidated Basic Salary will be paid as SPECIAL RISK ALLOWANCE additionally on the Special COVID-19 Hazard and Inducement Allowance to all health workers directly managing COVID-19 19 at the Infectious Diseases Hospitals, Isolation and Treatment Centres.

10 per cent of Consolidated Basic Salary would be paid to non-core medical professionals working in the health sector and operating at the aforementioned hospitals/clinics as Special Allowance for the COVID-19 period three months first instance, the MOU stated.

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged the Federal Governments commitment to protecting children from sexual violence, domestic abuse and exploitation.

Buharis pledge in a statement by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Monday comes as Nigeria joins the international community to celebrate the Day of the African Child.

The President also reiterated that the administration would continue to ensure that every Nigerian child had access to quality and affordable education.

He said that the objective would be pursued by promoting free and compulsory basic education for the first nine years of schooling.

President Buhari, who expressed concern over the recent spate of sexual and physical violence against the girl-child, directed relevant government agencies to scale up support for victims of violence and ensure that persons who infringed upon the rights of others faced the full weight of our laws.

According to him, it is the right of every Nigerian child to be protected from sexual or physical violence and abuse, and to enjoy an environment conducive for learning and development.

He further said that the safety of every Nigerian child remained paramount and that government would continue to do all within its means to protect children from violence and abuse.

The President acknowledged that this years commemorative activities with the theme,, had gone online due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

On the impact of the pandemic on the education sector, the President said that school-age children had been forced to continue education and learning online, as well as through the electronic media.

While acknowledging that not all children had access to the tools and resources to do that, the President assured Nigerians that the priority of the Federal Government was to ensure that things returned to normal as soon as possible.

He added that in dealing with the threat posed by the pandemic, the Federal Government cannot allow education and learning to take the back seat.

The President, therefore, urged all Nigerians to take a moment this day to celebrate the African child, who represents a better future for all of us.

Nigeria is blessed with exceptional and remarkable children and this government is ever ready to help the Nigerian child achieve their dreams and build a better tomorrow. (

Source: NAN News

Information Minister, Lai Mohammed at the virtual meeting with NPAN on Tuesday

By Rotimi Ijikanmi

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Tuesday pledged to assist in the process of securing the N10 billion Nigeria Media Intervention Fund from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The minister made the promise in Abuja at a virtual meeting with the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) on the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the media and efforts to salvage the industry.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the meeting presided over by Mr Nduka Obaigbena, the Chairman of NPAN and founding Chairman, This Day Media Group was attended by representatives of major traditional media outfits, the new media and Guild of Editors.

While responding to the requests by the association, Mohammed assured that he will follow up on the loan request to ensure it is granted in zero or single digit interest rate.

I can assure you that I will take your message to the CBN Governor and I will also raise the matter at the next Federal Executive Council meeting on the need to salvage the industry, he said.

The minister equally assured that he would meet with the Minister of Finance and the Comptroller-General of Customs on the request of NPAN for waivers and relief tariff in the importation of media equipment and consumables.

Mohammed underscored the importance of the media in managing the COVID-19 pandemic through mobilisation and sensitisation especially at the time when there is no known vaccine or medicine for its cure.

He called on the NPAN to make available to him a proposal on how government can influence Facebook, Google, Twitter and other social media platforms to pay for the contents sourced and used from the Nigeria media.

if I get the a proposal from you, I will work on it speedily because I am more than willing to ensure that content owners get maximum reward on their intellectual property and productivity, he said.

The minister said that the government has not neglected any sector, including the media since the COVID-19 started and it has been working to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the economy.

He stressed that the importance of the media cannot be overemphasized in mobilisation and sentisation of Nigerians to the reality of the pandemic and the preventive measures from contracting and spreading it.

We are thanking you for the sacrifices you make daily to bring our messages to the public through the advertisement, messages and daily coverage of our briefings which some broadcast live.

A recent survey conducted showed that 99 per cent of Nigerians are aware of the pandemic while 95 per cent know what to do to avert contracting it, and this is made possible by the media, he said.

Mohammed, however, called for the understanding of the association on the reality that all the sources of government revenue had been affected by the pandemic.

He disclosed that the capital budget of the Ministries had been slashed by 20 per cent and the overhead by 15 per cent except for Health, Education and Defence.

Earlier, Obaigbena said that the association had applied for the N10 billion intervention fund but the process for accessing the facility is still difficult.

He called for increase in advertising budget across all platforms of government to better inform the people and disseminate critical information.

Obaigbena said the government should take cue from Australia, where the government of that country intervened in ensuring that Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms pay for Coronavirus contents by their media.

Speaking in the same vein, the Publisher of the Vanguard Newspaper, Sam Amuka said the support of the government was critical to the survival of the industry.

The 85-year old veteran journalist said despite the effects of the pandemic on the industry, the media has been playing its statutory roles.

Mr Wale Edun of The Nation Newspaper said the media is key in the COVID-19 era, particularly at the current stage of easing the lockdown when communication on safety guideline is critical.

Edun underscored the importance of the N10 billion intervention fund, tax relief and the need for a blanket compensation across the media to restore lives and livelihood.

The Chairman of the Board of Punch Newspaper, Mrs Angela Emuwa said the industry has been badly hit by the pandemic because there were no advertisement out there.

She said the support of government to the media in terms of incentive would help the industry in doing its work of information dissemination.

Mr Gbenga Adegbaye also of the Vanguard said that the support the association is seeking should be without compromising its statutory watchdog functions but to build a virile media.

Similarly, the President of the Guild of Editors, Mustapha Isah said supporting the media would help to save jobs while a female participant at the meeting said government assistant should not be limited to the traditional media, online and new media should also be considered.

Source: NAN News

NURTW

By Lucy Ogalue

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) have solicited Federal Governments support in the form of palliatives to ameliorate challenges faced by its members due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Mr Kabiru Yau, Acting General Secretary of the union, in a statement on Tuesday, said this was contained in a letter to the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki in Abuja.

According to Yau, the transport industry is one of the most hit since the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown by the Federal Government.

He said since the lockdown, 95 per cent of its over two million members comprising of drivers and conductors and out of which five thousand were women, had been out of work.

Yau reiterated NURTWs commitment to curtail spread of the dreaded virus, adding that the dilemma faced by its members at the moment was that of hunger.

We wish to apply for your kind consideration in facilitating the provision of palliatives from the Federal Government to members of the union with regards to the difficult situation we are facing due to the pandemic.

The Transport Industry which plays major role in the World economy to enable goods and commuters to be moved from one place to another has suffered since the emergence of the virus and subsequent lockdown.

It is therefore our proposal that this industry be empowered to alleviate the negative effects generated by COVID-19 and the need for Federal Governments intervention cannot be over emphasised.

As informal workers, most of our members live from hand to mouth because majority of us rely on daily income in order to provide our basic needs and that of our families.

Since the advent of the virus, we have been forced into extreme poverty brought about by the lockdown and suspension of interstate travel imposed by government.
Palliatives such as food, medicine, face masks, hand sanitisers and especially cash will ameliorate the effects of the present economic meltdown ravaging the World and cushion its effect among our members, Yau said.

Yau also solicited the provision of vehicles, such as buses, to the union as part of palliative measures aimed at cushioning the effect of the virus.

He said such allocation would go a long way towards boosting public transport and accessibility to safe and secure road transportation during the period.

He said: This will also enable the union to significantly work down its funding cost, thereby improving our operating efficiency and huge potentials that have been largely hampered by inadequate and expensive funding channels.

While pledging its loyalty to the government and the present administration, Yau reiterated NURTWs need for whatever assistant the government could render the union under the circumstances. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

File Photo: Doctors,

By Edeki Igafe

The Chief Medical Director of Central Hospital, Warri, Dr Paul Okunbor, has appealed to the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD), to shelve its ongoing nationwide strike.

Okunbor made the appealed on Tuesday in Warri, while reacting to the industrial action embarked upon by the doctors.

He, however, appealed to government to do the needful by implementing the demands of the aggrieved doctors.

On June 15, the doctors embarked on a nationwide indefinite strike to press demands over improved working condition.

It will be recalled that the association had earlier given the Federal Government two weeks ultimatum to implement their agreements or face indefinite showdown.

The doctors are asking for universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all federal and state hospitals.

Their other demands are provision of funding of medical residency training in the 2021 Appropriation Bill, implementation of the revised hazard and payment of agreed COVID-19 inducement allowances.

Other contending issues are a lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for members of the association in the frontlines, treating COVID-19 patients, which recently resulted inthe death of some doctors among others.

The CMD described the demands of the resident doctors as genuine.

The doctors have the right to make the demands, especially when the issues are in the front burner and government is expected to have addressed them.

However, the timing is not good because we are dealing with a pandemic. We need all hands on deck, including critical stakeholders like the resident doctors, who are in the frontlines to deal with this COVID-19.

Their demands are legitimate but we can only appeal to them to consider the crisis that is on ground. They should shelve the strike and give the government some time to address their demands, Okubor said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Cloudy Weather

By Gabriel Agbeja

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted thundery and cloudy weather conditions across the country from Wednesday to Friday.

NiMet weather outlook released on Tuesday in Abuja said there had been a little respite generally in rainfall activities across the country.

It said that such relief in rainfall had led to more accumulation of atmospheric moisture and increased insolation for thunderstorms occurrence during the forecast.

For Wednesday, cloudy conditions are probable over the north, except southern Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa, Katsina, Dutse, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna where there are chances of thunderstorms in the morning.

Later in the day, widespread thunderstorms are anticipated. Central cities are expected to be cloudy with exception of parts of Abuja, Jos, Lokoja, Nasarawa and Mambilla Plateau which will likely experience thunderstorms in morning hours.

There are better prospects of thunderstorms during the day. Thunderstorms are likely over southern cities like Obudu, Akure, Benin, Osun, Ikom, Abakaliki, Umuahia and rains over coastal belt in the morning hours, it said.

The agency forecast indicated that thunderstorms were likely to be over the inland later in the day with rains probable over the coastal cities.

NiMet predicted cloudy conditions over the north on Thursday, with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over Sokoto, Kebbi, Gombe, Taraba, Bauchi, Southern Borno and Adamawa in the morning hours.

It envisaged thunderstorms likely to be over southern Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Bauchi, Gombe, Sokoto, Kebbi Maiduguri and Yobe as the day progresses.

Over the central states, increased cloudiness is anticipated, however, thunderstorms are likely over parts of Niger, Kwara and Abuja in the morning.

Cloudy condition is expected later in the day with prospects of thunderstorms over Jos, Abuja, Nasarawa, Makurdi and Lokoja . Thunderstorms are expected over inland cities, while morning rains are anticipated over Calabar, Eket and Port Harcourt.

There are chances of thunderstorms over the inland cities with high prospect of rains over most parts of the coastal belt in the afternoon and evening periods, it said.

According to the agency, cloudy conditions with spells of sunshine are probable over the north in the morning hours of Friday with chances of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening hours.

NiMet predicted cloudy conditions over the central states with few thunderstorms over Abuja, Jos and Makurdi in the morning hours but thunderstorms over the entire region later in the day.

It forecast increased cloudiness over the southern region with thunderstorms over Lagos and Ijebu Ode in the morning.

It further forecast a few thunderstorms over the inland and over most parts of the coastal cities in the afternoon and evening periods. (NAN)

Source: NAN News