July
Osun SSG, 21 others recover from coronavirus
Mr Wole Oyebamiji, Secretary to Osun State Government (SSG), who was earlier tested positive to Coronavirus, has recovered from the virus. Dr Rafiu Isamotu, the state Commissioner for Health, said in a statement in Osogbo on Saturday that the SSG and 21 other patients had also tested negative to the virus. Newsmen report that the state commissioner for health had on July 1 announced that the SSG and some of his staff had tested positive to the virus. The commissioner said that the test conducted on the SSG on Friday after days of treatment returned negative. He also noted that some of the staff of the SSG, who had previously tested positive to the virus, were among those that tested negative. Isamotu said that 23 fresh cases of the virus were also recorded in the state, adding that they we...
Court adjourns suit challenging Akindele, others’ conviction
Reuters A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday adjourned until July 21, to hear a suit challenging the legality of the conviction of Funke Akindele, her husband, Abdu-rasheed Bello, and 236 others. A Lagos-based Lawyer, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, had approached the court seeking a declaration that the law upon which Akindele and others were convicted was inconsistent with the 1999 constitution. Recall that Akindele, a popular actress; Bello, and others were arrested, tried and convicted for violating the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020. She was said to have hosted a birthday party in her Lagos residence to celebrate her husband’s birthday, an act viewed as a violation of the state government’s regulation on infectious disease prevention. Akindele rose to...
NUJ: Restore military checkpoints on Okene-Lokoja-Abuja road
File Photo Amidst worsening security situation on the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called for immediate restoration of military checkpoints on the road. The Chairman of the Kogi State council of NUJ, Adeiza Jimoh, made the appeal in a statement issued in Lokoja on Friday. He said that the incessant kidnappings and killings almost on a daily basis on the road by armed bandits necessitated the call. Mr Jimoh gave kudos to the police for their efforts at checkmating the criminals but said that the establishment of military checkpoints will further reduce criminal activities on the road. According to the statement, the Osara-Irepeni section of the road has become notorious for the activities of the men of the underworld. Newsmen recall that on the same...
Ondo doctors withdraw services from infectious disease centre
The National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP) in Ondo State has directed its members to withdraw their services from the state’s Infectious Disease Centre with immediate effect. The association said the directive became imperative due to government’s failure to meet their demands. The union had last month withdrawn the services of its members working in the employ of the state government following government failure to accede to their demands. The NAGGMDP Secretary in the state, Dr Olasakinju TJ, said government’s intervention has so far lacked a ‘human face’. ‘We had through the congress directed that our members who are the COVID-19 specialists in the Infectious Disease Hospital, Akure, to continue to work till Thursday morning, 2nd July 2020 i...
Festus Keyamo to appear again in National Assembly over 774,000 jobs controversy
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, will appear before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Labour on Tuesday to defend the 774,000 job recruitment across the country. The Minister is going on the invitation of the Joint Committee after the earlier meeting ended in shouting match. But Keyamo has made it clear to the lawmakers that he was sending a written submission on issues surrounding the programme ahead of his appearance to avoid a repetition of what happened during the last sitting. He also expressed reservations that he might not get a fair hearing from the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Labour, alleging that the Committee Chairman was the one at the forefront of insisting on controlling and dictating the execution of the programme...
FCE Osiele shuts down after a health worker dies of coronavirus
The management of the Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta has shut down the institution for two weeks after a medical personnel at the school’s health centre died as a result of complications arising from coronavirus. According to a report, two other workers of the institution’s Medical Centre have also tested positive for the virus. While announcing the closure of the school in a statement on Friday, July 3, 2020, the institution’s Registrar, Adedayo Adebayo, said, a report carried out “attributed the cause of death of one of the medical personnel that transited to immortality lately to complications that arose from COVID-19. “Regrettably, the two other staff of the medical centre similarly tested positive to the viral infection and have been placed on isolation and undergoing ...
BBNaija new housemates in isolation ahead of show’s premier
Organisers of the reality show, Big Brother Naija, say all new members of the show are currently in isolation ahead of the July 19, 2020 premier of Season 5. MultiChoice, which broadcasts the show, said in a virtual press briefing that organisers are collaborating with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to guarantee the highest form of precaution and safety control for the housemates and the production crew. “They will be monitored whilst in quarantine until they are deemed fit health-wise. Anyone that shows signs of ill health, will as expected not be a part of the show.” The broadcaster said the Big Brother House has been disinfected and won’t be available to anyone until the housemates arrive. Channel Director, Africa Magic, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, also emphasized that even before...
Christians, Muslims declare fasting, prayer against coronavirus
File Photo President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, in conjunction with the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar Mohammadu III, have called for a three-day fasting and prayer (tagged NINEVEH) from July 3 to 5 throughout the country. The prayer is to seek total defeat of COVID-19 in Nigeria and all over the world. The Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) has been calling on all Christians and Muslims to take part in the national weekly prayer conducted online every Thursday in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (OSGF) and other stakeholders. According to a statement issued by the General Secretary of CAN, Mr. Joseph Daramola: “The NIREC leadership appreciates the efforts of the Presidential Task Force on COVID...
Sunday Adeleye reacts as court reinstates Ibrahim Gusau as AFN president
Sunday Adeleye, the Technical Director of AFN has reacted to the court verdict that sacked Hon Olamide George and reinstated Ibrahim Gusau as the AFN President. The Federal High Court Abuja has affirmed that Engr. Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau remains the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) while sacking the board led by Olamide George. In his ruling on Wednesday, July 1, Hon. Justice A. I. Chikere said that only the President of the athletics federation had the powers to call a congress and appoint a Technical Director. The court, therefore, nullified the purported suspension and subsequent impeachment of Gusau as well as all other actions and resolutions taken by the Olamide George’s led AFN. The court also reinstated Sunday Adeleye as the Technical Director while declaring that...
Ekiti to inaugurate human rights action plan committee July 1
The Ekiti government will, on July 1, inaugurated a committee saddled with the responsibility of developing a human rights action plan. Newsmen report that the inauguration of the committee is sequel to the directive by Gov. Kayode Fayemi to the state Ministry of Justice to that effect. The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Olawale Fapounda, in a statement issued on Monday in Ado-Ekiti, said that the governor had stressed the need to put measures in place to protect and promote human rights in the state. He announced the composition of the advisory and technical committees for the development of the State Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Right (SAPHR). According to him, the action plan is aimed at auditing the human rights situation in the state. Fapo...
Farah feels Tokyo delay could help 10,000m title defence
Multiple Olympic champion Mo Farah says the postponement of the Tokyo Games to 2021 could work to his advantage as the Briton will now have around 20 months to train for the defence of his 10,000m title having switched his focus back to the track. The 37-year-old retired from track athletics in 2017 to focus on road marathons but announced in November last year that he was returning for one more tilt at 10,000m gold. The target then was only a matter of months away but the year’s postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic has changed everything. Farah, who must still qualify, will be 38 by the time of the Games in July and August next year but is looking on the bright side. “Having postponed it actually helps me a bit more,” he told Reuters while training in isolation in London’s Richmon...
Jesper Gronkjaer: Hakim Ziyech will succeed in Premier League with Chelsea
Jesper Gronkjaer is backing Hakim Ziyech to succeed after his £37 million ($43m) move from Ajax to Chelsea. The Blues completed a deal in late February and the 27-year-old is set to link up with his new team-mates on July 1, with the Eredivisie season cancelled amid the coronavirus outbreak. Ziyech will join a group including Filipe Luis, Bertrand Traore, Mario Melchiot, Winston Bogarde and Gronkjaer himself in making the switch to Stamford Bridge having played at the Amsterdam ArenA. Moving to the Premier League will prove a step up for Ziyech and Gronkjaer believes he is the star player from the Dutch side’s run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018. “Ziyech was the one who has caught my eye over the past two seasons even though he wasn’t produced by Ajax’s academy,” Gronkjaer told...
