IPC
IPC, NGO reject bill seeking to empower NBC to regulate DSTV, Startimes’ tariffs
A bill seeking to regulate tariff of digital satellite service providers was on Wednesday rejected by several participants at the public hearing on the bill. The bill, sponsored by Unyime Idem (PDP, Akwa-Ibom), seeks to give the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the powers to regulate the tariff charged by digital television platforms. The bill proposed that NBC “Regulates and review through broadcasting codes the tariff being charged by the digital satellite television services broadcasting in Nigeria and other subscription policy for subscribers.” If passed, digital satellite service providers like DSTV, StarTimes, TSTV, GOTV and others will have their subscriber fees regulated. It was first introduced to the House on March 19, 2020 and was consolidated with other NBC bills on the ...
Kano arrests, fines 200 for violating coronavirus protocols
About 200 people have been arrested, fined or incarcerated for violating safety protocols as the joint team of security agencies, mobile courts and COVID-19 marshals continue to sensitize and enforce safety protocols in the state. This was announced in Monday by the Kano state commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, while addressing newsmen. “Of the total figure of the violators, 102 were fined N5,000 each, while 25 others have been remanded in prison by the 21 Mobile Courts set up to deal with non-compliance to safety protocols which had been identified as a huge challenge to curbing the spread of the virus. “The enforcement measure became necessary to preserve public safety and ensure full compliance with the Coronavirus prevention protocols, particularly the use of a face ma...
IPC condemns Femi Fani-Kayode’s assault on journalist
The International Press Centre (IPC) condemns the verbal assault inflicted on a journalist by a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani Kayode. The journalist, Eyo Charles, who reports for the Daily Trust Newspaper, was seen in a video posted by The Cable, an online newspaper, asking the former Minister at a press conference in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, Nigeria, if he was funded to embark on a tour of projects in the state to which he responded with verbal attacks. The Minister was also seen threatening to deal with journalist Eyo Charles, who has since claimed that a security detail in the entourage of the former Minister confronted him after the press conference. IPC views this development as repulsive and unacceptable since there was nothing wrong with Journalist Eyo Charles wanti...
Niger government warns against violation of coronavirus protocols as schools reopen
The Niger State Government has warned school administrators to ensure students of graduating classes adhere strictly to the COVID-19 Infection Prevention Protocols (IPC) as issued by the Ministry of Health and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The state commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Muhammad Sani Idris, gave the warning during a working visit to Schools in Tafa, Suleja and Chanchaga Local Government Areas to monitor the commencement of West African Examination Council (WAEC) to ascertain the level of compliance with the established COVID-19 protocols. Idris alongside his counterpart of the Ministry for Education, Hajiya Hannatu Salihu reiterated government commitment to adequate provision for safe reopening of schools in the State. “The government is determined t...
Nigerian government activates all FCT public hospitals for coronavirus sample collection
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), has said that all government hospitals in FCT would become COVID-19 sample collection sites so that walk-in cases could have samples taken for testing. The Minister of Health, Mr Osagie Ehanire, who announced this during the PTF briefing on Thursday in Abuja, said that the move was geared towards scaling up the number of daily tests conducted in the country daily. “This assures users and caregivers of reduced bottlenecks and improved efficiency in our response. We intend to scale this up to other states of the federation,” he said. Ehanire said that all health workers would be trained and retrained on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and issued PPEs and materials required for discharge of their duties. The minister also directed the deployment a...
Nigeria releases new guidelines for international flights operations
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority , NCAA, Thursday, released new guidelines for international flights operations during the current Covid-19 pandemic for Nigerian based crew. Under the new rules, Nigerian crew operating international flights must now wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and observe Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) measures for the duration of the flight. This is just as the flight crew will now undergo mandatory testing for Covid-19 every 14 days at cost to the Air Operator upon return to Nigeria , instead of the current quarantine in an isolated place they are currently subjected to. Also, any of the crew members who test positive for Covid-19 will be taken to a treatment centre for further management. The new release with reference NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/120 , dated...
Nigeria’s Paralympic gold medalist gets four-year doping ban
Nigeria’s para powerlifter and Paralympic gold medalist, Esther Oyema, has been sanctioned by the International Paralympic Committee for violating anti-doping rules. The IPC announced a ban of four years for the athlete in a statement it issued to the press. It said that Oyema “Returned an adverse analytical finding for a prohibited substance in a urine sample provided on January 28, 2019 after competing at the Lagos International Para Powerlifting Competition in Nigeria last year”. “Consequently, the 38-year-old para powerlifter, who won gold at London 2012 Olympics in the women’s 48kg category, will be disqualified from all IPC’s competitions from May 3, 2019 to May 2, 2023.” The athletic body also stripped her of the gold medal which she won in the women’s 55kg competition in Lagos. “As...
YCN, IPC warn Imo governor over suspension of journalist
The Young Citizens of Nigeria (YCN) has asked Imo State Government to reverse the indefinite suspension of a journalist, Vivian Ottih. This was contained in a statement on Tuesday by its Director of Media, Augustine Nwaobi. Ottih, also a lawyer, is a Senior Editor with Imo Broadcasting Corporation-owned Orient FM in Owerri, the state capital. YCN advised the Governor Hope Uzodinma and his administration to “thread cautiously on issues of public importance”. They condemned the suspension of Ottih, the Chairperson of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), over the request for payment of three months’ salary on Facebook. YCN noted that one of the characteristics of a progressive government is the ability to respond positively to issues affecting citizen’s welfare. “Imo Governor sho...
UCH Ibadan records new coronavirus case among surgical staff
The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has recorded a new COVID-19 case within its surgical services unit. The hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, disclosed this via his official Twitter handle @UchCmd. “One case of COVID-19 has been confirmed among the staff of the hospital’s surgical services. “The member of staff in question is in good health and is receiving necessary support, while the routine contact tracing and relevant infection control protocols have been instituted. “Consequently, as at 4 pm. Friday, 8th May 2020, we had one new confirmed case of COVID-19,” he wrote. According to him, the new case brings the total number of patients treated for COVID-19 in the hospital to 11. “The total number of COVID-19 patients that the hospital has attended ...
Nigerian nationals in US now to be evacuated Saturday
Luc Doan/Foursquare The federal government has announced that the evacuation of the first batch of Nigerians from the United States will take place on Saturday, May 9, as against Sunday, May 10, 2020 that was earlier announced. It added that the Ethiopian Airline aircraft would depart Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, on May 9, 2020 at the estimated time of 19:15 hours and arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja on May 10, 2020, at the estimated time of 11:15 hours. The Consulate General of Nigeria in New York in a statement dated May 5, 2020, and made available to journalists on Thursday, added that only 270 passengers would be accommodated in the evacuation batch. It stated categorically that the mission would attend to applicants on a first come, first served basis a...
