Nigeria
Artist urges government to invest in tourism
Mr Femi Adegoke, an artist, has called on the Federal Government to invest more in tourism to diversify and boost the nation’s economy post COVID-19. Adegoke told newsmen in Ilorin on Saturday that the Coronavirus pandemic has exposed the fact that the nation cannot survive only on oil proceeds. He said that the nation was blessed with abundant natural sites, adding that government should try and revive the tourism sector. “I don’t know why tourism in Nigeria seems dormant. Every other nation of the earth harness their tourism sites to boost their economy.” “We have very beautiful natural sites in Nigeria, but I don’t know why the government is not developing them into world class tourist attractions.” “It seems to be the least funded and ignored sector in Nigeria. This should not be.” “Ar...
Enugu NUJ reject government’s palliative
File Photo The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Enugu State Council on Saturday rejected the palliative from Enugu State Government over alleged interference in the union activities. Newsmen report that problem started when the government representatives led by the state Commissioner for Information, Chidi Aroh, announced that the palliative was for the alleged two factions in the union. Mr Aroh said he heard that there were two factions in the union and the items should be shared between them. But the Acting Vice President of NUJ, South East, Zone C, Ken Ofoma, expressed dismay over the Commissioner’s statement saying that there were no factions in the union. “Enugu NUJ remains one family under the leadership of the state chairman, Rex Arum and under the national body led by Chief Chris...
President Buhari gets Madagascar herbal formula
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday at the State House, Abuja, received Covid Organic, the Madagascan native formulation against the COVID-19 pandemic. Samples of the solution were delivered to him by President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau who brought them along as part of the traditional medicine shared to African nations by the government of Madagascar. According to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) in Abuja, President Buhari however reiterated that he will listen to science before allowing traditional or any new medicines to be administered on Nigerians. He said his position on all such herbal or traditional medicinal postulates had remained the same. “We have our institutions, systems and processes in the co...
Odion Ighalo would like to end his career at Manchester United – trainer
According to Odion Ighalo’s personal trainer, the former Super Eagles of Nigeria star would like to remain at Manchester United for the rest of his career. The striker’s future is an uncertain one: he is officially on loan at United until May 31, but the Red Devils are keen to extend this period to allow him to feature if and when the season resumes in the coming weeks. However, Igahlo’s parent club, Shanghai Shenhua, want the player to return to their stable for the start of the next Chinese Super League season. United are also not seeking a permanent deal for the former Super Eagles spearhead. Despite being in this awkward situation, Ighalo’s has remained focused on keeping himself fight and ready for action while under lockdown in Lagos. “He’s a wonderful athlete, I’ve never seen someon...
ExxonMobil presents ambulances, other items to support coronavirus response
File Photo Mobil Producing Nigeria, an ExxonMobil affiliate, and operator of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation/Mobil Producing Nigeria Joint Venture has presented two ambulances, 20 additional vehicles and medical supplies to various state governments and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, to assist in the nation’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement obtained by newsmen, the company stated: “The Akwa Ibom State Government is receiving two ambulances for emergency cases and 15 other vehicles, while Rivers State is receiving five vehicles. “Medical supplies, including World Health Organization certified COVID-19 test kits, sample collection kits and hospital beds valued at more than N90 million will be distributed to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,...
Nigeria warns recovered coronavirus patients not to reveal drugs used on them to stem self-medication
The federal government has told COVID-19 survivors to stop giving details of the drugs used for their treatment, so they don’t encourage self-medication. The Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, made the plea at a press briefing in Abuja. This follows recent revelations by some high-profile survivors, who spoke about the drugs administered on them during their treatment. Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, expressed concern that some of the testimonies disclosing the prescription for treatment could encourage patients to indulge in self-medication instead of seeking help from health authorities. “The PTF congratulates and appreciates the testimonies of Nigerians who have recovered from COVID-19, which has given us more insights ...
Retired general forfeits N426.7 million to Nigerian government
Reuters A retired Nigerian Army General has forfeited a princely sum of N426.7million to the Federal Government on the orders of a Federal judge, sitting in Lagos. John Onimisi Ozigi, a retired Brig-General had been standing trial for alleged graft in the hands of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which claimed before the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Muslim Hassan, that the cash was from the proceeds of crime and should be seized from him. Based on EFCC’s prayers, the court had earlier placed an interim forfeiture order on the cash and asked EFCC to issue public notice to whoever claims ownership of the cash to come forward with justifiable reasons why the money should not revert to the federal government and joined two companies-company, Diamond Head Ventu...
Kwara blames rise in coronavirus cases on influx of travellers from Lagos, North West
Kwara state government has attributed the increase in COVID-19 cases in the state to the influx of people from Lagos and North Western states to Ilorin, the state capital despite the ban on inter- state travels. The state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said this while speaking with newsmen during an inspection visit to the Sobi Specialist Hospital’s Isolation Centre in Ilorin. The governor was at the centre to monitor health personnel’s compliance with safety protocols. He disclosed that 11 of the index cases at the isolation centre are travellers from Lagos and north- west states who were intercepted by security operatives deployed to enforce the ban on inter – state travels. “Its disturbing that our new index cases were imported, they were people from Lagos and north western states who...
Plateau counter NCDC on number of coronavirus cases
Plateau State government has refuted a claim by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, that the State has five additional cases of COVID-19 disease as at Friday, the 15th saying it was only new case that was recorded as the remaining four were repeated cases which were mistaken for fresh ones. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nimkong Lar who briefed journalists alongside the Secretary to the Government of the State, Professor Danladi Atu, and State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dan Manjang said so far Plateau has only 11 active cases of the disease and all patients are responding to treatment. He noted that the attention of the NCDC has been drawn to the error with the belief that the needed correction would be effected. He urged citizens to continue to obey s...
Federal, states, local government share N606 billion for April
The three tiers of government on Friday shared about N606.196 billion as federal allocation for April 2020. Details of the allocation were contained in a Secretariat report released by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation at the end of the online meeting of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) in Abuja. The meeting was presided by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse. The communique showed the allocation included revenue from the Value Added Tax (VAT) collection, Exchange Gain, Solid Mineral Revenue, Excess Bank Charges and Excess Crude Oil Revenue. The breakdown of the allocations showed the federal government received about N169.831 billion, the states N86.140 billion, local government counc...
Adamawa discharges eight coronavirus patients
The Adamawa State Government has discharged eight patients from its coronavirus treatment centre in Yola. The eight bring to 13 the number of patients who have so far been certified free of the virus in the state after five were first discharged on Monday. The state Commissioner of Health, Prof Abdullahi Isa, confirmed the latest development Friday, saying, “It is true that we have discharged eight more patients from the isolation centre after they all tested negative twice for the virus. “This is in line with the protocol of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). We had earlier discharged five on Monday and eight today.” Adamawa State had 16 active cases until the fresh discharge of eight, bringing the active cases down to eight, out a total of 21 confirmed cases since the index ...
PTF: Stop stigmatisation of coronavirus patients
Worried by the negative impacts on the society, the Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic has warned the public to desist from stigmatization of Covid-19 patients. This warning was given on Friday by Dr. Sani Aliyu, PTF National Coordinator, during the daily press briefing in Abuja. He lamented the growing cases of stigmatization of Covid-19 patients, saying that this state of affairs will not augur well for the fight against the pandemic in Nigeria. “Stigmatization of Covid-19 patients can only make many who have the disease to go underground and by that singular act the virus will continue to spread. When we stigmatize people who have contracted the virus it is obvious that many other people will be afraid to come clean. The carriers will be afraid to come forward fo...
