Coronavirus

By Ishaq Zaki

The Zamfara Government on Tuesday said that the state had not recorded any new case of Coronavirus in the last 14 days.

The Chairman of the State COVID-19 Taskforce, who is also the Speaker of the state Assembly, Alhaji Nasiru Magarya, said that the feat was achieved due to the collective efforts of all stakeholders.

A statement issued by the Secretary, Publicity Sub Committee of State COVID-19 Taskforce, Malam Mustafa Jafaru-Kaura, said Magarya made the disclosure in Gusau when he received the donation of 36,000 pieces of handwashing soap donated by Sightsavers International.

This is a welcome development, considering the collective efforts from stakeholders who have contributed in fighting the menace.

I am using this medium to state that as of yesterday, Monday the state marked 14 days without new COVID-19 case.

The two COVID-19 isolation centres established by the state government remained closed, Magarya said.

He however said that despite the successes recorded, the state government will not rest until all traces linked to the disease in the state are eliminated.

Magarya thanked the organisation for the donation and promised judicious utilisation of the items.

He expressed satisfaction with the prompt response of some donor agencies in the state to the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier, the Country Director of the NGO, Dr Sunday Isiyaku, said the donation was part of their Corporate Social Responsibilities, to complement the state governments efforts in the fight against spread of Coronavirus in the state.

Isiyaku represented by state team leader of the NGO, Mr Ahmad Ibrahim, said Sightsevers is working in all the 14 local government councils in the state fighting neglected tropical diseases such as Trycoma and Elephatiases.

Meanwhile, the management of the State School of Nursing and Midwifery has also donated 400 face masks and hand sanitisers to the taskforce as part of its contributions to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

face mask

By Victor Asije

Amb. Vincent Yang, the Representative of Taiwan in Nigeria, on Tuesday donated another consignment of 100,000 medical masks to Nigeria.

Yang, who made the donation in Lagos, said that the Taiwanese government had recently donated 50,000 medical masks to the NCDC as well as 10,000 masks to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The Taiwanese representative said that the masks were meant to support Nigeria in meeting the urgent needs of the frontline health workers and other stakeholders.

Today, Taiwan is making another donation of medical masks to the Nigeria Ministry of Health. This donation is to support Nigerias effort in containing COVID-19.

Taiwan is also willing to share her experiences in diseases control with Nigeria. Taiwan has been able to contain the pandemic and minimise its impact on peoples lives and daily activities.

We know that a strong defence against the virus can only be achieved globally through joint effort, he said.

According to him, Taiwan has only reported 443 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the outbreak of the virus.

Yang said that Taiwan had been able to contain the spread of the virus due to her regulations and strict border control measures, adding that the country never introduced stay-at-home orders.

He disclosed that Taiwan had since April donated over 20 million medical masks and medical equipment to U.S. Europe and other countries.

Prof. Chris Bode, Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, who received the consignment on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, thanked the Taiwanese government.

On behalf of the Federal Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, we must thank the Taiwanese government for this gesture.

We have received the masks for the Minister of Health, and we would let him know that. We must thank you for your support, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

GOv. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State,

Source: NAN News

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

Harvest

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that post harvest losses due to poor storage facilities for the agriculture produce would soon be a thing of the past.

Osinbajo said that improving the working and trading environment for small and medium sized businesses through shared facilities, MSMES clinics and other government interventions were critical parts of the Federal Governments drive towards supporting MSMES in the country.

Osinbajos spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said the Vice President, made the remark while performing the virtual inauguration and handing over of the 200,000-capacity Yam Storage Facility at the Zaki Biam International Yam Market in Benue State.

Osinbajo said that post harvest losses due to poor storage facilities for the nations agriculture produce would be a thing of the past if more storage and processing facilities like the new storage facility in Benue State were established around the country.

The 200,000-capacity Yam Storage Facility is part of the National MSMEs Shared Facility Scheme being implemented by the federal government under the National MSMEs Clinics put in place by the Buhari administration.

The Zaki Biam Yam market is said to account for about 70 per cent of yams cultivated in the country, with over 200 trucks loading 2 million tubers of yams weekly from the state renowned as the nations food basket.

The market has had very little storage capacity and its infrastructural facilities are way behind its capacity and the size of commerce that goes on here daily.

Besides, post harvest losses have been the bane of agricultural production in Nigeria: Nigeria produces 17 million tons of yam annually, but loses up to 40 per cent on account of inadequate storage and processing facilities

Following discussions between the federal hovernments MSME Clinics project, the Benue State Government and market stakeholders, it was unanimously agreed that this 200,000 capacity Yam Storage Facility should be located right here in Zaki Biam, Benue State.

The Vice President said that President Muhammadu Buhari was excited about the inauguration of the facility.

A major concern for him has been that the COVID-19 crisis does not in any way disturb agriculture and the food supply chain.

That we are able to commission this project in the midst of the pandemic is especially heart-warming for him.

The vice president explained the role of the federal government in the Shared Facilities project under the National MSMEs Clinics.

According to him, in 2016, the president asked him to chair an initiative called the MSME Clinics.

The idea was to provide a meeting point in every state between regulatory or approving authorities (such as NAFDAC, SON, CAC, BOI, FIRS and small and medium scale businesses in every sstate.

So, at such an event the MSMEs bring their problems and challenges to the regulatory authorities, and the authorities can offer on the spot services and advice to MSMEs.

This includes advice on how to access credit facilities through the Bank of Industry (BOI).
One of the initiatives of the clinics was the idea of building Shared Facilities for the benefit of small businesses operating within clusters.

This is because most individual businesses cannot on their own afford equipment necessary for their businesses.

Aside from the 2-units of warehouses with a combined capacity to store 200,000 tubers of yam in the Shared Facility in Benue, Osinbajo said that there was re-construction works going on.

He cited the reconstruction of 660 units of stalls/sheds, construction of a police/market administrative building.

Moreso, construction of eight units of public toilets, provision of solar-powered borehole with an overhead tank, construction of internal roads with drainage and installation of solar street lights.

Osinbajo commended the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, for his leadership and the solid support he had given to the project and congratulated him on the commissioning of the game changing project.

I also commend and congratulate our MSME Clinic partners and everyone that has worked to make this possible, he said.

The vice president added that that there were functioning shared facilities in Oyo and Bauchi States.

Virtually present at the commissioning from the National Assembly were Senator Gabriel Suswan and the Representative, Richard Gbande.

Also, in attendance were the Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Sabo Nanono; Special Duties Minister, Senator George Akume, among others.

Source: NAN News

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 updates by NCDC

he Nigeria Center For Disease Control (NCDC), said on Tuesday.

This brings the total number of infections in the country to 13,464.

Source: NAN News

UN-Secretary-General-Antnio-Guterres

death was confirmed by the countrys government on its official Twitter page.

The tweet reads, The Government of the Republic of Burundi announces with great sadness the unexpected death of His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi, following heart failure on June 8, 2020.

The deceased was due to be replaced in August by political ally Evariste Ndayishimiye, who won the May 20, 2020 Presidential election.

A statement by the Burundian authority said Nkurunziza had attended a volleyball match on Saturday afternoon and was taken to the hospital that evening after falling ill.

Although he appeared to recover on Sunday and spoke to those around him, his condition suddenly deteriorated on Monday morning.

He then suffered a heart attack and despite an immediate resuscitation attempt, doctors were unable to revive him.

Nkurunzizadied at a hospital in Karuzi, eastern Burundi.

The government said there would be a period of national mourning for seven days from Tuesday and that flags would be flown at half-mast.

In May, Burundi expelled the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) amid criticism of the governments handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

It has carried out very few coronavirus tests and held large rallies in the lead-up to the countrys May 20 election.

Source: NAN News

Gov, Babagana Zulum

By Yakubu Uba

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has revoked the allocation of all residential quarters not yet occupied in Bama town in the past one year.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the quarters known as Indimi Estate comprise 100 two-bedroom houses.

They were constructed by a businessman in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, as his contribution in complementing governments efforts in resettling returnees in the town affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

Malam Isa Gusau, Spokesman fo the governor, in a statement, said Zulum who was on a visit to Bama had re-allocated the houses to some displaced and homeless persons.

He quoted the governor as saying that those earlier allocated the quarters showed that they did not need them.

Borno State Government has revoked all allocations of houses at Indimi Estate.

We cannot tolerate a situation where people claim ownership of those houses while they are living in Maiduguri, Gusau quoted the governor as saying.

While in Bama, the governor paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Bama, and supervised the distribution of foodstuffs jointly provided by the state and Federal Government to 25,000 displaced persons.

The governor also announced plans to reopen some schools in the area as well as plan to return people from refugee camps in Cameroon. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The Federal Ministery of Environment has inaugurated a 15-man Project Steering Committee, to ensure sound management of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs).

The committee is to ensure sound disposal of PCBs in Nigeria.

The Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Abubakar, inaugurated the committees on Tuesday in Abuja.

Abubakar tasked members of the committee to demonstrate a high sense of national patriotism, integrity and responsibility toward actualising the elimination of PCBs and associated burdens of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria

PCBs are classes of chlorinated organic chemicals that are used for a variety of industrial and commercial purposes. PCBs are not single chemical, but a group of related chemicals.

The ban on PCBs under Toxic Substances Control Act was primarily due to mounting scientific evidence that it accumulate in the environment and can adversely impact on human and other biota.

The minister said bodies of scientific evidences had revealed for over 50 years that these characteristics that made PCBs popular additives also represent humongous threats to human and environment well being, irrespective of creed or caste.

Apart from being associated with burdens of diseases such as damage to the immune system, liver, skin and reproductive system, the International Agency for Research Cancer (IARC-WHO) has clarified some PCBs as Class 1 carcinogens.

Nigeria joined the global community in negotiating, adopting and ratifying the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in 2001, which listed PCBs in the initial register of 12 POPs also known as dirty dozen

The convention bans the production and new uses of PCBs and requires parties to eliminate the use of PCBs in equipment by 2025.

The convention also wants environmentally sound management of liquids containing PCBs and equipment contaminated with PCBs by 2028, he said.

He said the ministry had accessed incremental supports of Global Environmental Facility(GEF) and the UNDP for the implantation of the environmentally sound management and disposal of PCBs in Nigeria which has five different components.

He said the components include institutional capacity and training on PCBs, inventory of PCBs in 22 states of Nigeria not previously covered by other inventories.

Others are establishment of PCB collection and treatment centre, environmentally sound disposal of identified PCBs and monitoring, learning, adaptive feedback and evaluation.

Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, the Minister of State for Environment said no doubt the expertise and resources on board pooled together would achieve smooth and result oriented project implementation.

Mr Charles Ikeah, the Chairman of the committee said the project which had a time frame of five years started in 2018 and to end in 2023.

The project started in 2018 but the committee is being inaugurated today by the minister due to some hiccups which have been addressed, he said.

He promised that the committee would work assiduously to ensure the success of the project.

Source: NAN News

who

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa is now over 187,800 while the global cases hit over seven million.

The WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, gave the update on Tuesday on its official twitter handle @WHOAFRO.

There are over 187,800 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent with more than 82,400 recoveries and 5,100 deaths, it said.

WHO said that South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria had the highest reported cases on the continent.

According to the organisation, South Africa has 48,285 cases and 998 deaths, followed by Nigeria with 12, 486 confirmed cases and 354 deaths, while Algeria has 10,154 confirmed cases and 707 deaths.

WHO said that Lesotho, Seychelles and Gambia were countries currently with the lowest confirmed cases in the region.

It said Lesotho had only four confirmed cases with zero death, Seychelles had 11 reported cases and zero death, while Gambia recorded 26 confirmed cases also with no death.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said almost seven million cases of COVID-19 had been reported to WHO, and almost 400,000 deaths.

He said contact tracing remained an essential element of the response for COVID-19, polio and Ebola.

In some countries, there is already a strong network of health workers for polio who are now being deployed for COVID-19.

Last week we published guidance that describes how existing polio surveillance networks can be used in the COVID-19 response.

We outlined the measures that should be put in place to maintain an effective level of surveillance for polio, Ghebreyesus said in statement posted on the agencys website,

According to him, WHO has also published new guidelines on the use of digital tools for contact tracing; many digital tools have been developed to assist with contact tracing and case identification.

Some are designed for use by public health personnel, like WHOs Go.Data application, which has been used successfully to trace contacts during the ongoing Ebola outbreak in DRC.

Others use GPS or Bluetooth technology to identify those who may have been exposed to an infected person.

And still others can be used by people to self-report signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

As part of a comprehensive approach, digital contact-tracing tools offer the opportunity to trace larger numbers of contacts in a shorter period of time, and to provide a real-time picture of the spread of the virus.

But they can also pose challenges to privacy, lead to incorrect medical advice based on self-reported symptoms, and can exclude those who do not have access to modern digital technologies.

The director general said more evidence was needed about the effectiveness of these tools for contact tracing.

We encourage countries to gather this evidence as they roll out these tools, and to contribute that evidence to the global knowledge base.

We also emphasise that digital tools do not replace the human capacity needed to do contact tracing, he said.

Source: NAN News